Meet Ollie Brunskill, the 10-year-old Launceston boy who spotted a kitchen fire, carried his baby sister outside and later received a Tasmanian government bravery award

A 10-year-old boy in Tasmania became a real-life hero just a day after dressing up as his favourite video game character for Book Week. Ollie Brunskill was dressed as Link from The Legend of Zelda when he alerted his family to a fire in their home in Prospect Vale, northern Tasmania, and helped get his baby sister to safety.According to ABC News, the fire broke out in the family’s kitchen after a mandoline slicer was accidentally left on a hot plate. The flames quickly spread, but Ollie noticed the fire through the reflection of a kitchen window.Rather than panic, Ollie immediately alerted his mother, Stacey Brunskill, and then rushed to get his baby sister, Nora, out of the house.“My son came over and alerted me that there was a fire,” Stacey said.“I came out to see what was going on and there was probably about a half-metre-high flame on the stove at that point.”She said Ollie quickly got Nora out of her therapy chair, carried her outside and took her to a neighbour’s house.Fire blanket helps contain growing flamesStacey managed to smother the growing fire using a fire blanket, which she said she was “so grateful” to have at home.“The fire brigade said that's what stopped it from expanding further ... if I didn't have that, chances are that my house would have been completely demolished,” she said.By then, the house had filled with black smoke. After calling Triple Zero (000), Stacey retrieved a fire extinguisher from her car and used it through the kitchen window.“I managed to blast it through my kitchen window and get the fire out enough for my neighbour to run over and put the hose through the window,” she said.Although the fire was contained to the kitchen, smoke and soot damaged or ruined many belongings throughout the house.“Every door in the house was open ... my son's new bedding through to my daughter's new playpen and car seat, all of that was in the lounge room,” Stacey said.‘If Oliver hadn’t been here, we might not even be here’Despite the damage, Stacey believes the outcome could have been far worse without her son’s quick thinking.“If Oliver hadn't been here ... we might not even be here,” she said.Ollie’s actions were later recognised when he received a certificate of bravery from Education Minister Jo Palmer in front of his primary school on Wednesday.For the 10-year-old, the recognition had special meaning because of the character he had dressed up as just a day earlier.Ollie says Link inspired himOllie said he admires Link because he is “someone who saves people and species”.“Since Link's a hero, that next day I became a hero,” he said.“And I have long hair so I can dress up like him.”Ollie recalled seeing the kitchen engulfed in flames but said he was able to remain calm because he felt prepared.“Instead of grabbing everything which I really wanted to, I grabbed my baby sister,” he said.“I stayed calm so my mum would stay calm.”“Saving my baby sister wasn't on my bucket list,” he added.The 10-year-old also had a message for other children, urging them never to play with fire.“And make sure nothing is on your stove unless you're cooking, but have an adult help you,” he said.School praises Ollie’s braverySummerdale Primary School acting principal Toby O’Connor praised Ollie, describing him as a child with a “heart of gold”.He said staff and students were filled with “amazement and immense pride” following the incident.“We're very lucky, as most government schools are, to have fire education in school,” O’Connor said.“We've had that in the last couple of months ... I know after listening to Ollie and what he was able to do, that's a result of his bravery but also the education he's been able to gain from those valuable sessions.”Mother urges families to keep fire-safety equipment at homeStacey encouraged parents with young children to invest in basic fire-safety equipment, including fire blankets and extinguishers.She said she was “exceptionally proud” of her son.“More than I can ever put into words,” she said.Stacey also shared that Ollie has level two autism and ADHD and said she was especially proud that he was able to remain focused during the emergency.“He's pretty awesome because he also has level two autism and ADHD and is usually very full on and getting criticised for not paying enough attention to things,” she said.“He's the one that has saved us from potentially not being here.”Catch the latest World News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.