12-Year-Old Maine Boy Runs Into Burning Home, Drags Father’s Body Away From Flames

We're learning some intense new details about everything that transpired at a New Gloucester, Maine, home over the weekend.

On Saturday afternoon on Intervale Road, a Maine man was working on his home's boiler when it exploded, WGME reported. The homeowner, Lado Ladoka, 44, died instantly. His children, however, were able to escape to safety.

We're now learning that a neighbor heard that something was wrong and rushed to the home to help.

According to the Kennebec Journal, when Keith “Tater” Forest arrived, he found the home partially engulfed in flames and the children outside before immediately calling 911.

According to the Kennebec Journal, Ladoka's oldest son, who is presumed to be 12, insisted on going back into the home to search for his dad.

Forest tried telling him that it was too dangerous, but the boy insisted, the KJ said, and the young child entered the burning home multiple times but was unable to locate his dad initially.

Finally, and against 911 dispatcher's orders, Forest entered the home with the young boy, according to the Kennebec Journal, and through the thick and dangerous smoke, the boy found his father on the floor of the utility room.

He grabbed his dad and began dragging him out of the house, clearing debris and obstacles out of the way as he went, the newspaper reported.

The child was finally able to get the man out of the burning home where Forest told reporters that Ladoka was dead.

The child continued with the heroic act by running to his other siblings and comforting them, letting them know that dad had "passed out" and needed to go to the hospital, according to the Kennebec Journal.

The KJ went on to report in part,

"The boys, who spent half of each week living with their father, are at their mother’s home in Portland, said Deqa Dhalac, a state representative from South Portland who became friends with Ladoka nearly 20 years ago when she arrived in Maine."