Bayonne third grader honored for saving family, neighbors from major house fire
City officials dubbed Thursday “Armani Settle Day” in honor of 8-year-old Armani Settle.
A third-grade student from Bayonne was honored for saving lives during an early-morning fire at her home.
City officials dubbed it “Armani Settle Day” on Thursday in honor of 8-year-old Armani Settle. She was also sworn in as an honorary firefighter for saving her family and neighbors from a five-alarm fire in the home.
Firefighters were called to the East Fifth Street home on April 15 for the fire. It eventually impacted three homes.
“We lost everything, but it’s all materialistic,” says Kevin Settle, Armani’s father.
The fire displaced 22 people, but everyone survived. Armani Settle went to each of her neighbors’ homes and banged on doors and rang doorbells to let them know about the fire.
RELATED: Bayonne officials: 3 homes damaged in early morning fire; 2 injured, 22 displaced
“I heard a loud boom in the basement. It sounded like glass,” Settle said.
Officials say that she absolutely saved lives.
“I was speaking to the families on each side separately and they both were telling me, ‘Oh my God, thank God for Armani.' That little girl came over and was ringing our bell at 4 a.m. and she woke us up,” says Bayonne Office of Emergency Management manager Junior Ferrante.
Settle’s family and her entire school community were beaming with pride during the ceremony. Officials stressed the importance of fire safety.
“This is a great testament to fire safety education in the schools and it can be here, it can be anywhere across the United States, where now we see the results,” says Bayonne Fire Chief Keith Weaver.
“I’m so proud of my baby,” says Kevin Settle.
Armani Settle was also given the key to the city as part of the ceremony.
