Boy stayed up to watch Netflix, saved family from fire

MINQUADALE, Del. (WTXF) - A 13-year-old boy who defied his mom by staying up late to watch Netflix is credited with saving his family from the fire that destroyed their Delaware home.

"You could see the flames from my bedroom. I was getting up and then I saw smoke surrounding the hallways and stuff," said 13-year-old Damir Carter. He's somewhat of a family hero tonight for what would have landed him in trouble on a regular night.

"I mean you can laugh about it today but you're not going to punish him right? No not this time," said his mom Angela Borden. Fire gutted their house in Minquadale Village in New Castle County early Wednesday morning. Mom was asleep and his dad Richard was at work on a tow truck call.

Damir was up when mom says he shouldn't have been.

"First day back to school. I went to bed around 8:30. Dad usually tells him around 10 or 10:30 good night. We know he sleeps with the TV on but usually he just goes to sleep and that night he said he was up watching the Flash."

Watching season five of Flash on Netflix. The next thing Angela heard...

"Just him yelling, came into our room, was like mom get up. Get up. I see smoke."

They got out but could only save four of their five dogs. They're holding out hope that their rescue cat survived.

"I'm sure it was about 5-minute span from me finding out to getting clothes to getting him out to getting out the house myself," said Angela. Richard says he came home relieved to find his family outside but devastated that he couldn't save the family dogs because of the fast moving fire.

"When I got up to the house it ran the ceiling towards the front door and I couldn't go in," he said.

Damir knows this is the one time he'll get a pass for staying up late but really who could be mad at this face anyway?

"I'm glad he was awake. I'm really glad he was awake because things could have been a lot worse," said Richard.

The Red Cross is helping the family with a temporary hotel stay and they say both their jobs have pitched in. They say neighbors have also set up a donation fund for them. As for what caused the fire, the family says the fire department told them it was an overloaded electrical outlet.

A fundraiser has been setup to help the family. If you wish to donate, please click here.