9-year-old boy helps rescue disabled grandmother from burning home in Lancaster

LANCASTER, Calif. (KABC) -- A nearly-blind 79-year-old grandmother was saved from a house fire, thanks to the help of her 9-year-old grandson and two Good Samaritans.

The blaze broke out Wednesday afternoon in the garage of a home on the 45000 block of 11th Street West in Lancaster.

Flames engulfed the garage of the home and quickly spread to the main structure. Maria Ramirez, who is disabled and almost completely blind, was inside at the time. Her grandson Robert Ruiz was with her along with their dog.

"I saw flames and fire," Robert described.

Robert says he was terrified. With his grandmother's physical condition, he knew he needed help getting her out before it was too late.

The boy said he went outside and screamed for anyone driving through the neighborhood to stop and help.

"He's an amazing boy," said Robert's mother, Virginia Ramirez. She said thanks to her son's bravery, two Good Samaritans stopped and entered the burning home. One man saved her mother while the other saved the dog.

"Thank you and God bless them," Ramirez said, holding back tears. "Thank you for stopping and helping, listening to this little boy calling out for help."

One of the Good Samaritans said after getting the grandmother and dog out of the burning home, he and the other passerby fought the blaze with a garden hose until firefighters arrived on scene. He said he doesn't consider himself to be a hero and that he just did what anyone else would do in the situation.