9-Year-Old Boy Spots House Fire, Helps Save Home

Dalton James knew something did not look right.

The 9-year-old boy was riding in the passenger side of his mother's car Sunday when he noticed a house on Lee Avenue beginning to catch fire.

"I saw a glow from the window and smoke coming out of the house," the shy boy said in an interview shortly after .

His mother, Jeaniece James, said they were making a left turn onto Lee Avenue from Callaghan Street when Dalton alerted her.

"At first I thought it was the chimney," Jeaniece said. "But Dalton said 'No, no it's really on fire!'"

Jeaniece then pulled into the home's driveway and started to honk her horn in hopes of alerting the residents of the fire.

When no one came out she then started banging on doors and windows.

She then called 911 and fire crews were sent to the scene at 6:36 p.m.

Firefighters were able to extinguish the blaze, which was confined to the kitchen area, within 15 minutes.

"They got here super fast," Jeaniece said of the firefighters. "They did a really good job."

No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation, said Joe Rodondi, deputy battalion chief of the Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department.

Rodondi said the residents of the house were not home during the fire.

As for Dalton?

He received a special fire department pin from Rodondi, who thanked the boy for his efforts and helping firefighters get to the scene quickly.