Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 19, 1990                   TAG: 9003222470
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Short

TWO TEENS SAVE 3 KIDS FROM BURNING BUILDING

"I'm just thankful the little kids are all right," said William Johnson, 17, who was burned on the back during the rescue.

Johnson, who lives on the second floor of the three-story building, saw smoke pouring out of the building around 1:30 a.m. when he went outside to check on the weather.

Johnson ran upstairs and tried kicking in a window, but the fire was too intense. He ran to the opposite fire escape where he found and guided to safety a young girl who told him there were three small children upstairs, two of them infants.

Johnson said he kicked in the door of the apartment and pulled out a small boy. He then ran down one flight and crossed over to the roof of another building adjacent to the house. There Johnson met Antwon Jenkins, 14, who also lives in the building.

Jenkins was able to get in a window and grab another small child and toss her to Johnson's waiting arms.

A few minutes later, Norfolk firefighter Gary Stone rescued the fourth child.

- Associated Press