Writer Gideon Hodge dashes into his burning apartment building to save 2 novels, his “life’s work.”

NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 15—Gideon Hodge was at work when a fire in his New Orleans apartment building broke out. On learning about the 3-alarm blaze, Hodge rushed to the scene with only one thing in mind: save the laptop that contained his two novels.

Dozens of firefighters were on the scene, trying to control the blaze, but 35-year-old Hodge, clad in a Batman T-shirt, was not daunted. Dashing past billowing smoke and firefighters yelling for him to stop, the self-described playwright, novelist, and actor managed to rescue his laptop and save his two novels.

“Anybody that’s ever created art, there’s no replacing that,” Hodge said. “It’s got pretty much my life’s work.” Hodge did not hesitate before running in. “Despite my better sense, I just ran inside and grabbed it. I didn’t think to be scared,” he said.

The computer was intact with no water damage. The charger was a loss.

No injuries were reported.

The New Orleans Advocate, 9/15/16