Rescuer Award

Wednesday, 30 October 2013 07:28

Transport truck driver recognized by Red Cross for his 2AM lifesaving efforts

A 25-year-old transport driver was hailed a hero today.

Roman Gobosz pulled over on the 401 at 2 o'clock in the morning, back on July 22nd, and ran through a ditch and a field to alert the Markus family that one of their barns was on fire.

It was a huge fire that claimed 100 cattle, but luckily, the man's actions alerted the home owners and local fire crews in time.

The Clarke Road farm owner Clarence Markus tells Heart FM they're house could have easily caught fire. "He woke us up, alerted us to the situation and got us out of the house. Probably saved our lives, and the house. Certainly we are most grateful for the award he received today and without him, we don't know how it would have turned out."

Markus says the flames were so bright he thought it was daylight and he had slept in when he heard the banging on his door.

Gobosz received the Red Cross "Rescue Award" at the farm today, where construction is underway to replace the barn.

He says the sights and sounds of that night has stuck with him. "I was hoping I could have been here earlier...it was a sad sight...I heard the cows mooing. I didn't expect them to be in the barn."

OPP Detective Ian Barlow, who investigated the case says Roman's actions were no doubt heroic. He says it was miraculous, given the inherent danger that Gobosz even went to the extent of carrying some baby cattle away from the scene. "I know his actions saved cattle, it saved property, and it potentially saved the lives of the homeowners because without him knocking on the door, who knows how long it would have taken them to wake up. With the intensity of the fire and the way the wind was blowing there was a strong possibility the house could have caught fire."

Community Service Coordinator Kelly Farrell, who presented Gobosz with the award says there's no doubt Roman is a hero. "When I called him on the phone he was really quite humbled and felt he didn't deserve an award for what he did. I pointed out to him, so many people drove by and didn't stop, but he was the one that stopped his transport and went through the ditch, ran through the field to the house and took all of those efforts to help a family that was in a vulnerable situation."

The other positive development is that construction is well underway on rebuilding the barn they lost, and Markus says they could have it ready by the time the fire anniversary rolls around. "Today, or possibly tomorrow the walls will be completed and if the winter goes well...we're planning on an open house for July 22nd, 2014."