Tuscola, IL, Rural Carrier Patricia Wilson was recently delivering mail in an Amish community when she spotted flames shooting out of a barrel near a customer’s home.
Wilson stopped to investigate and found that the fire was spreading to a nearby shed and the house itself.
She pounded on a door but got no answer, and she realized that calling 911 wasn’t an option in an area with no cell signal — and in a community where religious practices discourage home telephones.
Wilson safely battled the blaze with bottled water from her vehicle before deciding to seek help at a nearby residence.
She soon located several neighbors who could assist her, and they brought the fire under control before extensive damage was caused.
The homeowner later contacted the local Post Office to thank Wilson for saving the property.