Winchester nurse and daughter deemed heroes after saving family from burning home

WINCHESTER, Mass. — A mother and her daughter are heroes after their morning walk to school and it’s all because they were running late. Initially, that was frustrating but it ended up being a “blessing” according to this mother because they saw the fire and were able to alert the family.

“I was shocked to see the 3 floors second and third floors, flames shooting out,” said Tina Latorella of Winchester who helped save a family from their burning home.

Fires erupted from the back of a multi-family home on Harvard Street early Thursday morning.

Latorella walks her daughter Ava Latorella to school every day. They go right by the house on Harvard. Then Latorella heads to Winchester Hospital where she’s a nurse. She tells Boston 25 that when she saw the fire she jumped into action.

“I knew there was a family inside. I just started yelling fire. I handed my daughter the phone and told her to call 911 and start knocking on doors,” she said.

She says that the family has four kids including a child who is disabled.

“We see them every day with the wheelchair outside waiting for the bus,” said Latorella.

So, she says it was vital to let them know about the fire. But when her yelling didn’t work, she ran out into the street and flagged down a man driving by.

“He stopped, put his car in park, hopped out, and was knocking on the doors to get them out,” said Latorella.

Finally, the family emerged, their children terrified and that’s when Tina’s nursing skills kicked in.

“Everybody was scared. The kids were screaming and crying I was just comforting them in the moment” she said.

Ava, her 8 daughter tells Boston 25 she was amazed at what her mother did. “I’m proud,” she said. She brought her mother a bouquet of roses. “They’re for my mom,” said Ava.

Tina’s manager at Winchester Hospital did the same giving her another bouquet to show their appreciation for what she did.

This brave mother and nurse said she only did what anyone else would do. Maybe so, but in the process, she taught her little girl and all of us a valuable lesson.

“You’re going to focus on what you need to do to help people, save people, right,” said Latorella.

And she adds that the family was shaken up but ok and that the family dog was also saved from the fire.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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