By Guy Page

A woman is crediting God after helping rescue two young children from a burning vehicle Sunday morning outside a beer, wine and liquor store in Barre.

According to the Barre City Fire Department, fire crews were dispatched at about 10:04 a.m. to a reported vehicle fire at 411 North Main St., the site of Beverage Baron. When firefighters arrived, they found a car parked about four feet from a nearby building, with the passenger compartment heavily involved in flames.

Crews quickly extinguished the fire before it could spread to the structure, officials said.

Authorities said that at the time the fire started, two children — ages 4 and 7 — were strapped into child safety seats inside the vehicle. Two bystanders noticed smoke and immediately intervened, entering the burning car and removing both children from the back seat.

“Their quick and decisive actions likely prevented serious, potentially life-threatening injuries,” the fire department said.

One of the rescuers, Kaylin Cheeseman, said she acted instinctively and is grateful for the outcome.

“I am the one who saved the little girl and thankfully was able to get her out in time,” Cheeseman said in a comment to the Barre FD Facebook post reporting the incident. “I am also extremely thankful to see that family walk away with their children today. Amen… thanking God for being there at the time I was. I ripped the [unlocked] door open and unbuckled that baby as quickly as possible.”

The Barre City Fire Department cleared the scene at about 10:46 a.m. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.