Naked Washington Man Fights Fire to Save Homes

A Washington man says instinct took over when a fire broke out outside his home over the holiday weekend — even though he wasn’t exactly dressed for the emergency.

Wesley Howard was asleep just after midnight on July 5 when his fiancée woke him after flames started spreading along the fence line between his home and a neighbor’s house in South Sumner, Washington.

Howard says he ran outside with a garden hose and began fighting the flames while still naked.

He said the fire was growing quickly and could have spread to both homes, including families with children inside.

Howard battled the flames for about five minutes before running back inside to put on shorts while firefighters continued responding.

East Pierce County Fire arrived about 10 minutes later and had the fire contained within an hour.

Howard, a former Navy service member, says his training helped him stay calm during the emergency. He suffered minor burns to his foot and forearm, but his home was saved and the neighboring home only suffered minor damage.

Howard believes the fire may have been caused by fireworks that were not fully extinguished before being placed in a trash bin.

He says no matter the circumstances, he would make the same decision again to protect his family and neighbors.