Dreher High School athletes honored for heroic fire rescue

A routine after-school practice turned into a lifesaving mission for three Dreher High School track and field athletes. 

Micah Roth, Eliza Jones and Hampton Rogers on Feb. 10 were among around a dozen athletes running through Columbia’s Shandon neighborhood when they heard a woman screaming for help. 

They turned back to see Donna McIntosh Aikens’ home with thick smoke pouring out of the kitchen. 

“Somebody else on the team heard her scream, and we said we should go back,” Roth said.  

Inside, Aiken’s gas stovetop had caught fire, rapidly filling the house with smoke. Roth grabbed the home’s fire extinguisher and ran toward the flames. 

“The fire extinguisher started mixing with the smoke, so I was just like, ‘OK, we got to get out of here. We got to get this done,’” Roth said.  

Jones meanwhile helped Aiken to safety. She was in shock, she said, and let Jones guide her.

“I was in the kitchen where the fire was,” Jones said. “But I was trying to help get Miss Donna out and everything, because the smoke was getting really bad at that point.”

Rogers made sure no one else entered the home. 

He saw a young couple walking by and he asked them to call 9-1-1. 

“We can help, but we can’t do everything,” Rogers said. “And I made sure no one else was coming into the house.” 

The students also attempted to rescue the woman’s 5-pound Yorkshire terrier, Dash, from an adjacent room. But the smoke was too thick. Firefighters arrived shortly after and retrieved the dog.  

Aiken was grateful for the students’ bravery.  

“(The first student) was brave enough to come in not knowing really what he was going to see,” Aiken said. “The smoke at the time was already horrendous, and he didn’t hesitate. He grabbed that fire extinguisher.” 

Columbia-Richland Fire Chief Aubrey D. Jenkins thanked the athletes for their efforts Tuesday during a Richland School District One board meeting where they were honored. 

“You could have just stood by, like so many people do, and watched it burn,” Jenkins said. “But because of what you did, it gave us the opportunity to get there to make sure that it was out – but not only that, it stopped the fire from spreading.” 

Jenkins spoke about the importance of fire safety to the Carolina News & Reporter.  

“If you can’t put a fire out in about 15 to 30 seconds, then you’re already behind the eight ball,” he said. “So, you need to get out.” 

Dreher Principal Dr. Joe Eberlin admitted he was caught off guard when Battalion Chief William Lowery arrived at his office recently. 

“As my secretary explained, the fire chief was here,” Eberlin said. “All I could think was, ‘What have we done now?’ Chief Lowery quickly explained that his visit was for a very good reason.” 

Eberlin learned that after ensuring Aiken’s safety and putting out the fire, the students simply resumed their run and returned to track practice. It wasn’t until the fire department visited Dreher that the school identified the students involved.  

“They didn’t hesitate. They didn’t have second thoughts,” Aiken said. “I think this is going to impact them for the rest of their lives.” 

Aiken, hoping to turn the experience into a teaching moment, said she is working with the fire department to organize a community fire safety event. 

“Everybody that I’ve talked to says, ‘I’ve had a fire extinguisher for 20, 30 years, and I don’t know how to use it,’” Aiken said. “So, we were actually trying to work with the fire department and do a public information half day, maybe on a Saturday, and open it to the public. So, if they want to learn, the fire department will help them.”