An off-duty firefighter is being hailed a hero for saving the lives of three children after a boat overturned on a lake during the holiday weekend, according to Alvarado police.

Police said a boat carrying nine people capsized Sunday, trapping three children beneath the vessel. Two of the children were initially unresponsive.

An off-duty firefighter who happened to be nearby rushed to help before emergency crews arrived. Police said he resuscitated the two unresponsive children and brought all three children to shore.

All three children were taken to a hospital for evaluation and observation. No other life-threatening injuries were reported.

Alvarado police said the firefighter’s immediate and courageous actions made a critical difference during the emergency.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.