Runners save dogs from Mississauga, Ont. house fire
Canadian marathoner Sergio Ráez Villanueva's tempo workout took an unexpected turn after he and his partner discovered smoke coming from a home
Tony Webster/Wikimedia Commons
What started as a routine Wednesday afternoon workout for Canadian marathoner Sergio Ráez Villanueva quickly turned into an act of heroism. Ráez Villanueva had stepped out for a 10K tempo run with his partner, Lauren Negrazis, who accompanied him on her bike, in the Streetsville neighborhood of Mississauga, Ont. But midway through the workout, they noticed smoke circling from an open garage on Sidmouth Street, accompanied by the sound of alarms and barking dogs.
Realizing no one was home, the couple leaped into action. Ráez Villanueva began throwing snow from the yard onto the flames, which appeared to be spreading from the basement to the garage. Meanwhile, Negrazis flagged down a neighbour who was about to walk her dog, urging her to call 911 and attempt to contact the homeowner.
“I was ready to kick down the front door to rescue the dogs,” said Ráez Villanueva. Fortunately, Negrazis reached the homeowner, who provided her with the passcode to unlock the door. The couple rushed inside, rescuing two dogs and bringing them to safety outside.
“I’m grateful the neighbours were there to help and call 911,” said Negrazis. “Thankfully, no one was hurt.”
When firefighters arrived, the crew discovered a third dog inside the house, which Negrazis and Ráez Villanueva hadn’t heard during their initial rescue. Firefighters contained the fire and brought the third dog out safely.
According to the Mississauga Fire Department, the fire originated in the basement and could have escalated if not for the quick actions of Ráez Villanueva, Negrazis and the neighbours. “I think we caught it at a good time too,” Negrazis added.
The homeowners, who had gone out for dinner just minutes before the smoke was spotted, returned home about 25 minutes after the 911 call. “It could’ve been a lot worse,” Negrazis reflected. “It was the right people coming together at the right time.”
Ráez Villanueva credited Negrazis for her quick thinking and level-headedness, which Negrazis credits to her self-defence training. “Lauren’s the MVP for getting the neighbours to call 911 and keeping me calm enough to not bolt into a burning house,” he said. “Not to mention keeping me company on my run.”
This isn’t the first time Ráez Villanueva has found himself in a life-saving situation. Last May, during the BMO Vancouver Marathon elite athlete dinner, he performed the Heimlich maneuver on another runner who was choking on food. Remarkably, Ráez Villanueva went on to win the marathon the following day.
Now, as he trains to defend his BMO Vancouver Marathon title in May, Ráez Villanueva’s streak of heroics is cementing his reputation as more than just a runner—he’s a person in the community doing what he can to help at the right time.
