10-year-old hero valiantly rescues 40 people from deadly fire

'If it wasn't for Ashton, we definitely could've had some fatalities.'

A fire started at Rockbridge County's Good Place Farms Bed and Breakfast one night. Rather than gawk in shock like other children might, 10-year-old Ashton Dunford was moved to action.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Justin Peery, the owner of Good Place Farms Bed and Breakfast, explained Dunford noticed the fire from his home across the driveway and immediately responded.

"Ashton ran across the street and into the building screaming for the people to get out," Rockbridge County Emergency Management Coordinator Robert Foresman told ABC News. There was smoke inside, and without hesitation, he went right in."

Foresman shared the bed and breakfast was boarding forty guests, who had arrived in town for a wedding. Luckily for the guests, Ashton smelled what he described as paper burning.

"The whole rooms were covered in smoke and we could see flames starting to form in the vents," Dunford told Virginia First. "I screamed to the top of my lungs and I said everyone out, there's a fire.

"But the person downstairs already got out the house, and the person upstairs was still asleep so we got someone to run and get them."

Foreman explained, "If it wasn't for Ashton, we definitely could've had some fatalities. He even was trying to help put the fire out once we arrived."

It took firefighters nearly an hour to contain the flames. There were no fire hydrants near the bed and breakfast, leaving first responders to rely on water brought to the scene by tankers.

The flames required up to 75 firefighters before it was under control. Thanks to Dunford, no one was injured; however, Good Place Farms Bed and Breakfast was entirely destroyed.

Of the 10-year-old hero, Peery stated: "He doesn't even realize what he did. How he saved lives. He's already talking about rebuilding and setting up for more people to stay in the future -- he just wants to go fishing between now and then."

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and is currently under investigation. Ashton Dunford's family has yet to comment.

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