For book week this year, 10-year-old Ollie Brunskill dressed up as his favourite hero — Link, from the video game series The Legend of Zelda.
Little did he know that just 24 hours later, he would become a hero himself, after alerting his family to a kitchen fire in their home in Prospect Vale in northern Tasmania.
The fire — caused by a mandoline slicer accidentally left on a hot plate — quickly spread, which Ollie saw in the reflection of a kitchen window.
The fire was caused by a mandoline slicer accidentally left on a hot plate. (Supplied: Stacey Brunskill)
Instead of panicking, Ollie calmly alerted his mum to the fire and grabbed his baby sister, Nora, and took her outside.
“My son came over and alerted me that there was a fire,” Stacey Brunskill said.
“I came out to see what was going on and there was probably about a half-metre-high flame on the stove at that point.
“He quickly got her [Nora] out of her therapy chair and out of the house and across to the neighbour’s house for safety.”
Stacey Brunskill says her son was very calm in the face of danger. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Ms Brunskill said she smothered the growing fire with a fire blanket, something she was “so grateful” to have had.
“The fire brigade said that’s what stopped it from expanding further … if I didn’t have that, chances are that my house would have been completely demolished,” she said.
She said the house was covered in black smoke, and after calling Triple Zero (000), she retrieved a fire extinguisher from the boot of her car.
“I managed to blast it through my kitchen window and get the fire out enough for my neighbour to run over and put the hose through the window,” she said.
Stacey Brunskill says her house could have been completely demolished had she not had a fire blanket. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
While the fire was contained to the kitchen, smoke and soot covered and ruined many belongings.
“Every door in the house was open … my son’s new bedding through to my daughter’s new playpen and car seat, all of that was in the lounge room,” Ms Brunskill said.
But if it were not for her hero, Ollie, the result could have been far worse.
“If Oliver hadn’t been here … we might not even be here,” she said.
Ollie’s mum says if not for his quick thinking, the result could have been far worse. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Just like his Book Week hero
His heroics have not gone unnoticed, as Ollie received a certificate of bravery from Education Minister Jo Palmer in front of his primary school on Wednesday.
And for a moment, Ollie felt like his costumed hero, Link.
He said he admired Link because he was “someone who saves people and species”.
“Since Link’s a hero, that next day I became a hero,” the 10-year-old said.
“And I have long hair so I can dress up like him”.
In The Legend of Zelda, Link fights evil and saves a princess. (Supplied: Stacey Brunskill)
Ollie said although “the entire kitchen was engulfed by flames”, he was able to stay calm in the moment because he felt prepared.
“Instead of grabbing everything which I really wanted to, I grabbed my baby sister,” he said.
“I stayed calm so my mum would stay calm.
“Saving my baby sister wasn’t on my bucket list.”
Ollie Brunskill was awarded a recognition of bravery by the Tasmanian government. (ABC News)
The certificate was signed by Tasmania’s Education Minister Jo Palmer and presented by his school’s acting principal. (ABC News)
Fire education likely fresh in mind
Ollie said kids should never play with fire.
“And make sure nothing is on your stove unless you’re cooking, but have an adult help you.”
Why you should never charge your phone or tablet on your bed
Summerdale Primary School acting principal Toby O’Connor said Ollie had a “heart of gold”.
Mr O’Connor said there were feelings of “amazement and immense pride” amongst staff and students.
“We’re very lucky, as most government schools are, to have fire education in school,” Mr O’Connor said.
“We’ve had that in the last couple of months … I know after listening to Ollie and what he was able to do, that’s a result of his bravery but also the education he’s been able to gain from those valuable sessions.”
Ollie attends Summerdale Primary School, where students recently received fire education. (Facebook: Summerdale Primary School)
Ms Brunskill encouraged parents with young children to invest in home fire-safety equipment.
She also said she was “exceptionally proud” of her son.
“More than I can ever put into words,” she said.
“He’s pretty awesome because he also has level two autism and ADHD and is usually very full on and getting criticised for not paying enough attention to things.
“He’s the one that has saved us from potentially not being here.”
Stacey Brunskill urges parents with young children to invest in home fire-safety equipment. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)