A pregnant woman who battled smoke to alert her neighbors that a fire was sweeping through their North Little Rock apartment unit last month was honored Wednesday for her actions.
Fire officials say no one was hurt in the June 16 fire at Silver City Courts, largely due to the actions of 20-year-old Monica Walters as well as fire crews who prevented additional damage.
At a ceremony in front of the charred remains of the apartment where the fire started, District 1 Alderman Beth White presented Walters, 20, with a plaque from the city commissioners.
Walters said she was sitting outside with her family on the other side of the apartment complex when she saw children running.
"When we got to [the apartment], it just broke out in flames," Walters said. "I was just trying to make sure there wasn't anyone in the house."
North Little Rock Fire Chief Jim Murphy said he was with some of the first crews to arrive at the scene and saw smoke billowing from the attic of the one-story building. He said it was apparent that the fire was ready to spread from the far unit where it began to the three other units in the building.
He said crews had one chance to halt the quick spread of the flames. Murphy said two of the units ended up with minor damage, a third will need some repairs, and the apartment where the fire started is salvageable, though it will take a lot of work.
Murphy said Walters helped one senior citizen get out of her apartment.
"In these times of a lot of negative news, that we had someone with enough love come out here and make someone else safe is an amazing thing," White said.
Walters told reporters she had lived in the apartment complex for about a year and that she is originally from Pine Bluff.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is still ongoing. Murphy said the apartment where it started was vacant at the time.