PORTLAND, OR -- We’re hearing from the teen credited with saving a baby in Portland Wednesday, after a live powerline fell on a vehicle. Witnesses say the baby’s parents and teenage uncle initially escaped unhurt. But they came in contact with the wire in the panic that followed. 

Portland Fire’s Rick Graves says it was a chaotic scene, "But fortunately, in all of that, we do have a toddler that made it through. And they’re here, in part, because of the heroic acts of a member of our community."

Nine-month-old Nahmir was rescued by Majiah Washington, an 18-year-old who lives next door to the baby’s grandma. She says she saw the 21-year-old mother, her brother and boyfriend get out of the car with the live wire lying on the hood. But they worried the vehicle would catch on fire, "The baby’s mom was yelling to the man, ‘take my baby out of the car! Take my baby out of the car.’ He swaddled the baby in his arms and he walked him over there." She says he tried to go up the driveway, "He slipped, he fell backwards and the bottom of his foot touched the line." He stopped moving, and was still holding Nahmir.

Washington told reporters Thursday, "The baby moved his head, and that’s how I knew - that’s how I knew he was still here." She called 911 and got the baby away from the scene. "I don’t even think I was in my right state of mind. I wasn’t thinking ‘I could be electrocuted too.’ I was moreso thinking I have to grab this baby. I’m not going to lie. I was just trying to put it all into grabbing that baby." She added, "The only thing I could think about was how he was still here. He was moving his head, so I just didn’t want him to possibly fall, slide forward, slide to the side and touch the water." She says she did what anyone would do in that situation.

Graves says firefighters arrived to find the powerline still charged and the three adults in the icy street. They are believed to have died by electrocution, although official cause of death has not been released. "There was a lot of emotions going on. And this young, calm individual in our community came out and made a huge difference," says Graves. 

Photo: Majiah Washington talked to reporters Thursday at the Portland Fire & Rescue administrative office.