CLINTON, AR – Elisha Shaw, Chase Kirk and Michael Meuwsen sat on the front of a fire truck. They said they are nothing more than normal 18-year-olds but the Clinton Fire Chief D.L. Webb thinks different.

“I credit those kids for what they did, (It) saved lives that night,” said the chief. “There’s no way that building should still be standing.”

The teens receive Certificates of Appreciation for Bravery after what they did when the Best Western sparked fire last week.

The three teens were playing basketball late on the night of the fire. They were driving home around midnight when they saw flames coming from the hotel.

“I wasn’t really thinking about myself,” said Kirk.

They ran to the hotel, knocking on every single hotel room door waking up people sleeping inside. They then alerted Bobby Churches who was working nearby to call the fire department.

“It would be really devastating to see somebody I know something bad happening to them in that fire,” said Shaw. 

The fire chief said the teens were able to get everyone out before the fire spread. He said people are alive today because of their quick action

“These kids are good kids and they wanted to help and that’s what I’m proud of.”

As they held their awards, they don’t believe they are heroes. They said they saw people who needed help and didn’t think twice.

“We hope everyone would do the same for us,” Shaw said.

There were 26 hotel rooms occupied that night. 

The fire chief said the cause of the fire was electrical. The building is currently being repaired and is expected to reopen.