Helping knock down a potentially damaging fire, a pair of local youths were hailed for their actions recently by fire officials.

Authorities noted that two young skateboarders noticed smoke permeating the air nearby their location earlier this month and took action. On their boards at the skate park in Riverbank, Jesus Rodriguez and Chris Mariscal decided to investigate where the smoke was coming from on a late Tuesday afternoon last week. They traced the source of the smoke to a spot behind a business in the 200 block of Santa Fe Street.

Captain Les Porter with Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District (SCFPD) reported that fire crews were dispatched to the fire around 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7. When the two engines and ladder truck arrived on scene, they discovered that the boys had already put the fire out.

There were no injuries and after investigation the cause was undetermined. Officials praised the two young, brave citizens for choosing to react and snuff out a fire before it spread.

“They did an outstanding job,” stated Porter. “The fire could have extended further but they had it under control. It worked out.”

The SCFPD will be having its first meeting of the year on Thursday, Jan. 16 which will include the swearing in of new board members, badge pinning, election of the 2020 Board Director Officers, and approval of the updated SCFPD organization chart. Those are just a few of the items on the agenda for the Thursday night session, with the board meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Station 36 meeting room at 3318 Topeka St., Riverbank.