SHELBYVILLE, IL. (MCT) — A 5-year-old boy and his 8-year-old sister are being touted as a heroes by their family and the Mid-Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Corwin Foley “heard a pop, woke up, smelled smoke and saw flames, and woke his family up,” said Red Cross worker Carl Baker. “He saved their lives.”

The fire started at approximately 1 a.m. Sunday morning and fire departments from Moweaqua, Assumption, and Macon County joined forces to fight the fire. The rural home was completely destroyed. The fire is believed to be electrical.

Mother Abby Foley said that the children, Corwin and Courtney, usually sleep upstairs in the old farmhouse. But that night they fell asleep in the living room and she let them sleep downstairs while she and her husband Edward slept upstairs.