SHREWSBURY, Mass. - The Shrewsbury Fire Department says a local mail carrier who was able to put out a fire at a home on his route was in the right place at the right time.

The fire department said the mail carrier saw a burning recycling bin next to a home on Bruce Avenue last week.

He was able to pull it away and pour water onto the house and bin to stop the fire from growing.

Fire Chief Seth Colby said fires double in size every thirty seconds and without his intervention, the damage would have been much worse, and the residents would be without a home.

"His quick actions certainly saved the house,” said Colby. “The vinyl siding, it started to melt and was charred to the, sheathing underneath the vinyl siding. So had he not done that, it would have been a much more significant fire by the time firefighters arrived. You know, a lot of people like to pull out their phone and just videotape it. But he jumped into action and definitely helped the homeowners out."

Colby said the fire appears to be accidental and was most likely caused by smoldering materials put in the bin.