VICTIM HAS BEEN THROUGH, ESPECIALLY AS A RESULT OF THAT MONSTER. >> FROM YOUR CAPE CORAL NEWS TEAM, A CAR CAUGHT FIRE TODAY AT CAPE CORAL HIGH SCHOOL. WELL, TONIGHT, GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER AT THE TOUCH OF SOLACE LEARNING HOW TO TEEN STOPPED THE FIRE FROM SPREADING. >> A LOT OF SMOKE IS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND RIGHT HAND. THAT’S NORMAL. >> JACOB KANE, US AND CRYSTAL SMELL A CAUCUS SENSE SOMETHING WAS WRONG WHEN THEY GOT TO CAPE CORAL HIGH SCHOOL TUESDAY MORNING. WHEN WE WALK A LITTLE MORE AND OTHER PEOPLE ARE LOOKING AT IT. >> AND NO ONE’S DOING KNOW IS CALLING ANYONE OR ANYTHING. I LOOK AT, JAKE, I’M LIKE YO, WHAT DO WE DO? BECAUSE I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I’VE NEVER BEEN IN THAT SITUATION. BUT JACOB GROWN UP AROUND THE FIRE STATION AROUND FIRES. TOLD ME GOT A CALL. SO I’M GOING TO CALL 9, 1, >> JACOB’S DAD HAPPENS TO BE A CAPE FIREFIGHTER AND KNEW WHAT TO DO. A PARKING LOT IS THE WORST PLACE FOR A CAR FIRE TO BREAK OUT IN THE CARS ARE SUPER CLOSE TOGETHER. SO IF YOU CAN’T GET YOUR HANDS ON ONE OF THESE, YOU CAN’T GET THE FIRE QUICKLY UNDER CONTROL. THAT FIRE WILL SPREAD FAST. CAPE CORAL FIREFIGHTERS GOT THERE FAST BEFORE THE FIRE SPREAD. A FIRE CAN DOUBLE IN SIZE EVERY 30 SECONDS. SO THE FASTER YOU CAN GET. THE FIREFIGHTERS RESPONDING WHEN THEY ARRIVE. THE FIRE HOPEFULLY HAS NOT GROWN TO BE OUT OF CONTROL. BOTH TEAMS WERE AWARDED A COMMUNITY RECOGNITION COIN FOR THEIR HEROIC ACTION
Quick thinking of teen duo helps prevent car fire from spreading at Cape Coral High School
Updated: 8:46 PM EST Feb 11, 2026
Two Cape Coral High School juniors, Jacob Cainas and Cristos Maillakakis, noticed smoke coming from a car in the school’s parking lot on Tuesday morning and took immediate action to prevent a potential disaster.”Like, a lot of smoke is coming out from under the hood, and we’re like, that’s not normal,” Cainas said.Cainas and Maillakakis sensed something was wrong and noticed that others were not taking action. “So then, so then we walk a little more, and other people are looking at it, and no one’s doing anything, like no one’s calling anyone or anything,” Cainas said.Maillakakis, unsure of what to do, turned to Cainas for guidance.”And I look at Jake, I’m like, yo, what do we do? Because I didn’t. I don’t know what to do. I never been in that situation. But Jacob, growing up around the fire station, around fires, he initially told me, like, we got to call someone, we’re going to call 911,” Maillakakis said.Cainas, whose father is a Cape Coral firefighter, knew the importance of quick action in such situations. A parking lot is one of the worst places for a car fire to break out due to the proximity of vehicles. Without immediate intervention, a fire can spread rapidly.Cape Coral firefighters arrived swiftly and managed to control the fire before it could spread. Andrea Schuch from the Cape Coral Fire Department emphasized the urgency of the situation. “A fire can double in size every 30 seconds, so the faster you can get the firefighters responding. When they arrive, the fire hopefully has not grown to be out of control,” Schuch said.For their quick thinking and heroic actions, both teens were awarded a Community Recognition Coin.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.
CAPE CORAL, Fla. —
Two Cape Coral High School juniors, Jacob Cainas and Cristos Maillakakis, noticed smoke coming from a car in the school’s parking lot on Tuesday morning and took immediate action to prevent a potential disaster.
“Like, a lot of smoke is coming out from under the hood, and we’re like, that’s not normal,” Cainas said.
Cainas and Maillakakis sensed something was wrong and noticed that others were not taking action.
“So then, so then we walk a little more, and other people are looking at it, and no one’s doing anything, like no one’s calling anyone or anything,” Cainas said.
Maillakakis, unsure of what to do, turned to Cainas for guidance.
“And I look at Jake, I’m like, yo, what do we do? Because I didn’t. I don’t know what to do. I never been in that situation. But Jacob, growing up around the fire station, around fires, he initially told me, like, we got to call someone, we’re going to call 911,” Maillakakis said.
Cainas, whose father is a Cape Coral firefighter, knew the importance of quick action in such situations. A parking lot is one of the worst places for a car fire to break out due to the proximity of vehicles. Without immediate intervention, a fire can spread rapidly.
Cape Coral firefighters arrived swiftly and managed to control the fire before it could spread. Andrea Schuch from the Cape Coral Fire Department emphasized the urgency of the situation.
“A fire can double in size every 30 seconds, so the faster you can get the firefighters responding. When they arrive, the fire hopefully has not grown to be out of control,” Schuch said.
For their quick thinking and heroic actions, both teens were awarded a Community Recognition Coin.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.