Teens Prevent Fire in Ellisville, Honored by City

When Justin Malin, 16, and his buddies returned from Steak 'n Shake to a friend's house in Ellisville, the four teenagers spotted what at first looked like a controlled fire.

He and Danny Noonan were in a car following Collin Corley and Avery Ginsberg, all sophomores at Marquette High School who were heading to Collin's house in Ellisville.

When Corley and Ginsberg had stopped their car and left their vehicle to get a closer look at the fire, located atop a pile of wood and brush in a space near Corley's home, however, Malin said the group quickly determined that the fire was not a controlled one.

"At that point, we had water bottles in the car, and we started pouring them on the fire, but that wasn't enough," Malin said.

Corley quickly headed home to ask a parent to call the fire department while he collected more water that the boys used to try to quell the fire, which Malin said was roughly the size of half a parking space.

"I'd say it was pretty high," Malin said. “But it was next to a big pile of brush and trees, so we were worried that would catch as well.”

Malin said that by the time fire fighters arrived, the fire was a fraction of its original size.

"They more or less kind of made sure it wouldn’t catch up into something bigger because it kept sparking up again into bigger fires after we put it out," Malin said.

At the Ellisville City Council's , the four boys were honored with a certificate from former Mayor Matt Pirrello, who said the teens made an important contribution to the city.

"The quick action of these individuals helped avert a disaster," Pirrello said.