Ian Kenney helped evacuate residents after a fire at a house on Russell Lane in White River Township in 2012.
Daily Journal Archive Photo
News from around Johnson County as reported on May 11 in the pages of the Daily Journal and the Franklin Evening Star from the last 111 years.
On this day in 2012, the main story in the Daily Journal focused on a Center Grove area teen who was hailed for his quick actions during a house fire.
“As the house burned, a Center Grove area grandmother gathered the strength to get from her porch back to her bedroom window,” the story began.
Rita Rice’s 4-year-old grandson Gavin was still in the burning house on Russell Lane in White River Township. He was crying and looking for his blanket as the home filled with flames and smoke.
Rice had already escaped with her 5-year-old granddaughter Lauren through the bedroom window at the front of the house. But when she went back for her 4-year-old grandson, she lost her balance and fell. She tried to get back up but couldn’t, so she started screaming.
Ian Kenney, 16, came running.
He was staying overnight at the home because he was a friend of Rice’s third grandchild, Jordan. Both Kenney and Jordan had escaped through the back of the house when Kenney heard Rice scream.
At first Kenney tried to move Rita and Lauren Rice from the porch, but Rita told him to get Gavin out of the bedroom. Kenney went to the window, reached in and pulled the boy safely out.
“I have a hero in my life today,” Rita Rice said.
Rita Rice was hospitalized for four days for smoke inhalation. Her three children were also treated for smoke inhalation. But everyone made it out safely, in part because of Kenney’s reaction.
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Other memorable Johnson County stories from this day
1993
The Franklin school board asked a committee to study whether the district should ban smoking on school property.
1953
An Edinburgh soldier was discussing how he was getting first-hand combat training in atomic warfare at Camp Desert Rock, Nevada.
1943
Abnormally heavy rains dumped almost 2.5 inches of rain on Johnson County, causing damage and washing out a bridge in Union Township.
