LYNCHBURG, Va. – Tuesday was a special reunion for David Craig and his wife Heather.
“We appreciate it, yeah, yeah, thanks,” the Craigs said as they shook hands with and met Chris Walther and James Miller for the first time.
The men work for Lynchburg Water Resources and recently saved the Craig family’s home.
On Dec. 30, the two were working on a sewer line nearby.
“I looked over here and I was like, ‘The house is on fire.’ I yelled it and I took off to make sure nobody was in the house,” said Miller, utility crew leader.
Luckily, no one was in the house.
The Craigs were five hours away in South Carolina when they got a text from a neighbor.
Their surge protector caught on fire.
Walther says he ran to the truck to get the fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.
“Nothing could ever compare to what they saved,” David Craig said.
David lost his father in 2011 and his mother died in September last year. All the memories he has left of his parents are in the home.
“We’ve lived here for almost 35 years and it would have been devastating to our house and to the community really to lose what we have,” David said.
It’s a relief the damage is small, just black smoke left behind.
“It’s awesome to see. It gives you faith in humanity. Yup,” Heather Craig said.
Putting out fires is not in the water crew’s job description, but it’s clear, their job had them in the right place at the right time.
“We took action and we put it out. It’s just looking out for your community,” said Walther, utility line technician.
The Craig family tells 10 News their surge protector was recalled before the fire.
Their advice to people is to check your model and contact your local HVAC company.
In the same week, two other water resource employees helped a driver on Expressway 29 near the Candlers Mountain Rd exit.
There was a multi-vehicle crash causing a traffic backup.
One of the car’s engine compartment caught on fire. With approval from Lynchburg police, Mike Mundy and Colby Lane, both utility line employees, used water from their Vac-con trucks to put out the fire while they waited for firefighters. We’ve attached a picture of Mundy and Lane below.
Lynchburg Water Resources shared a thank you message with 10 News from Lynchburg police:
“I just wanted to reach out to you to commend both Michael and Colby for their efforts today to assist the LPD on a multi vehicle crash in which a vehicle was on fire. Michael and Colby were both in their truck stopped in traffic right behind the accident and both made themselves available to using their hose from their truck to assist in putting out the fire before LFD arrived. Michael and Colby both showed great teamwork and quick reaction to assist in an emergency. We definitely appreciate their timely help.”