A ten-year-old boy from Prospect Vale, Tasmania, has been recognised for his remarkable bravery after successfully alerting his mother and saving his baby sister during a house fire. Ollie Brunskill’s quick thinking and recent fire safety training have been credited with preventing a potential disaster.
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The incident occurred when Ollie noticed flames emerging from the family kitchen. At the time, he was in another room with his younger sister while their mother, Stacey Brunskill, was attending to other household matters. Ollie swiftly made his way to his mother to inform her of the danger. “My son came over and alerted me that there was a fire,” Stacey recalled in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “I came out to see what was going on, and there was probably about a foot-and-a-half flame on the stove at that point,” she added.
In the face of the emergency, Ollie displayed remarkable composure. He promptly picked up his baby sister and took her outside to safety, demonstrating a level of maturity beyond his years. Meanwhile, Stacey managed to extinguish a significant portion of the fire using a fire blanket before retrieving a fire extinguisher from her vehicle. A neighbour, recognising the situation, called the emergency services.
Reflecting on the incident, Stacey acknowledged her gratitude for having fire safety equipment readily available at home. However, she was equally appreciative of Ollie’s calmness during such a critical moment. “If Oliver hadn’t been here … we might not even be here,” she remarked. The cause of the fire was later identified as a mandoline slicer that had been mistakenly left on a hot plate.
Ollie, who has level two autism and ADHD, described witnessing the flames as a “giant flame” and felt an urgent need to act. “When I saw the flame, my first reaction was ‘Okay, I have to tell my mum. But I have to stay calm while doing it, because if I’m panicking, my mum will start panicking even more,’” he explained. Stacey noted that, typically, Ollie is not known for his calm demeanour, making his composed response even more impressive.
News of Ollie’s heroic actions quickly spread throughout the community. On September 2, he was awarded a certificate of bravery by the local Education Minister, Jo Palmer, in a ceremony that also included a surprise visit from the mayor in front of his schoolmates at Summerdale Primary School. School principal Toby O’Connor commented on the significance of recent fire safety training that students had undergone, remarking that this might have contributed to Ollie’s composed response during the ordeal. “We’ve had that in the last couple of months … I know after listening to Ollie and what he was able to do, that’s a result of his bravery but also the education he’s been able to gain from those valuable sessions,” O’Connor stated.
In light of the incident, Stacey Brunskill has been advocating for the importance of fire safety measures within every home. She highlighted a significant point made by the fire brigade regarding the use of safety equipment in containing the fire. “The fire brigade said that’s what stopped it from expanding further … if I didn’t have that, chances are that my house would have been completely demolished,” she explained.
The Tasmania Fire Service also publicly commended Ollie, congratulating him on his bravery and for effectively applying his fire safety knowledge. Ollie’s story serves as a reminder of the significance of fire safety awareness, particularly for families with children, reinforcing the idea that preparation and education can save lives.
This inspiring tale illustrates not only the power of quick thinking in emergencies but also the importance of equipping families with the skills needed to respond to fire hazards effectively. Ollie Brunskill’s actions exemplify bravery and a proactive attitude that may well serve as a role model for other young people facing similar situations.