Albertville Boy's Quick Thinking Saves Family From Disaster

Ask any parent of a sixth-grader, and they’ll tell you the last term they’d use to describe him or her is “quick-thinking.”

Yet, it was that trait that helped Jake Tourville save his family’s Albertville home less than three weeks ago.

Jake, who recently graduated the sixth grade (with flying colors, we’re guessing) at St. Michael-Albertville Middle School West, had hopped off the bus on Tuesday, May 17and headed home as he did just about any normal weekday.

There were a few factors that were different. His dad, Justin, had just been in a vehicle accident and was at the doctor in St. Michael for a simple appointment to address some soreness – he had broken his sternum. Mom was at her job at Hallmark in the city. His little brother was down the street, not really all that different, but getting a jump on some after-school play.

So, Jake was on his own.

“When I came in the door, could hear a clicking noise,” Jake said. “When I turned the corner, I could see up in the kitchen, and there was smoke everywhere.”

Jake deduced, correctly, that somehow a burner had been turned on and had ignited. And, strangely enough, there was something on the stove.

“Turns out it was my crock-pot,” Jen said. “We use it so often that I wash it and dry it and just leave it on top of the range. This time, that was a bad idea.”

It seems a series of events had led to a small fire. There were cookies from the night before left on top of the range, which had drawn the attention of the family’s elder dog, Cooper, a black lab. Cooper had jumped up to grab a cookie, placing his paws on the burner knobs, lighting the range (it’s gas). The crock-pot didn’t stand a chance.

Luckily, Jake got home just in time.

“I just sort of reacted. I ran in and turned off the knobs on the stove, and then I went out the patio door and left that open [to air out the room]. I ran back in and grabbed the dogs [Cooper, the alleged instigator of the event, was sulking, Jake later said], and ran back out. Then I ran upstairs and opened a bunch more windows, and then ran back out,” Jake said.

Only after he had done all this did Jake talk to a neighbor. Together, they called both parents and let them know what happened.

“My neighbor, whose name is also Jen, told me that Jake had probably just saved our house from burning down,” Jen Tourville said, hugging her son a little bit. “She told me it smelled terrible in there, but the house was going to be all right.”

The fire melted the pot down to virtually the steel frame, and had melted the face and control mechanism on top of the range.

When Albertville Fire came later to inspect the scene and check for hot spots, they did find a spot in the range. They removed the control panel. The Tourvilles' range now has a new one installed.

“The fire department was great to work with,” Jen said. “They said they didn’t recommend anyone not calling 911 first, but that Jake was pretty brave and did the right things to air out the house.”

Jake said that, coincidentally, a firearms training course had kind of helped him keep his cool.

“I remember the instructor saying to always stay cool, never panic,” he said. “I guess that kind of stuck.”

Jake deflects any extra attention, or neighbors that call him a little “hero.”

“I guess I don’t think it’s that big of a deal. I just did it. But, I guess it was pretty big to other people,” he said.

He really did keep his cool, Justin, a police officer in Crystal, said.

“He did what he had to do and stayed safe," Justin said.

“I think it’s unbelievable,” Jen added. “I’m so proud. How do you thank someone for saving your house?”

Well, Christmas is less than seven months away, right Jake?