Ballarat Police will nominate a 15-year-old boy for an award after he ran into a burning Scott Parade home in Brown Hill, pulling out an elderly couple.

He then returned to try and put out the blaze in the kitchen.

Police say the local Year 10 student heard a smoke alarm just before 6pm Sunday, as he was riding by on his bike.

The boy “Riley”  was hospitalised for smoke inhalation.

Sadly, the 80-year-old man could not be revived.