Matthew J. Geppi helped to save two boys from burning, Baltimore, Maryland, January 13, 2015. Two brothers, ages 3 and 4, were on the second floor of their family’s three-story row house after a fire broke out on that floor, in the front bedroom. Geppi, 25, fuser and pipefitter, was at a worksite nearby and became aware of the fire. He and a coworker ran to the scene, where they learned that children were inside the burning house. They entered the structure through its front door, Geppi with a fire extinguisher, and started up the nearby stairway, shouting for the children. The boys responded verbally. Despite flames that were spreading from the front room on that floor toward the top of the stairway, the coworker made his way to the bedroom at the back of the floor as Geppi used the fire extinguisher to keep the advancing flames at bay. After the coworker found the boys, Geppi called out to him to guide him back to the stairs. He then took one of the boys from the coworker and with him fled downstairs and outside to safety with the boys, both of whom sustained smoke inhalation. Geppi had discomfort in his lungs and was given oxygen at the scene; he recovered.
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