Good Samaritans save beach home

Mike Blackledge and Mark Roberts were driving westward on Gulf Boulevard on Sunday when they saw flames raging from the back deck of a home at 7733 White Sands Boulevard.

Immediately, they parked their truck, grabbed their fire extinguisher and ran across an empty lot to the house.

The flames were originating from a gas grill, which was attached to a large 250-gallon propane tank. Robert shut the tank off while Blackledge extinguished the fire.

Moments later, Grant Winterberry and Kenny Taylor from the Navarre Beach Fire Department arrived on the scene and pulled the grill away from the wall.

Taylor pulled the melted vinyl siding away from the wall and soffit, assuring that the fire was completely out.

The owners, Wayne and Tracy Norrad, were not at home when the fire broke out.

“They certainly owe a great deal of thanks to those two good Samaritans,” said Kevin Rudski, Navarre Beach fire chief. “They certainly saved their house.”

Blackledge and Roberts are construction workers and always prepare for the worst.

“We happened to have an extinguisher in the company truck,” Blackledge said. Mark is the real hero shutting off the gas feed. If that flame had hit that big propane tank, it could have been a very bad situation.”