In a remarkable display of bravery and quick thinking, a Lyft driver in downtown San Diego became an honorary firefighter on Monday morning when he extinguished the flames engulfing a building.
Shortly before 6 a.m. the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department began receiving multiple distress calls regarding a shed or outbuilding that was ablaze in the 2100 block of India Street, CBS 8 reported. However, before the professional firefighters could reach the scene, Lyft driver Armando Lopez, driven by his sense of duty, raced toward the inferno.
Lopez recalled his heroic act, stating, “Upon seeing the building on fire, I approached it, leaped over the fence, and took immediate action. I grabbed a water hose and began dousing the tanks that posed a threat of explosion.” Remarkable footage captured by OnScene.TV’s Doug showcased Lopez fearlessly scaling a small fence and sprinting toward towering flames that were dangerously close to igniting a nearby structure and propane tanks.
Thanks to the combined efforts of Lopez and the swiftly arriving fire crews, the blaze was brought under control by 6:32 a.m., effectively preventing its spread to nearby structures. Fortunately, no individuals were found inside the building during the incident. Nevertheless, approximately $25,000 worth of items were lost to the fire.
“Crews quickly knocked the fire down at 6:32 a.m. and prevented the fire from spreading to nearby structures. No one was found inside the structure,” San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said.
Remarkably, there were no injuries reported, underscoring the heroic actions of Armando Lopez and the dedication of the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. Their collaborative efforts averted potential disaster and ensured the safety of the Downtown area.
“I was driven by the desire to save the lives of those who were sleeping,” Lopez said. “I wouldn’t want anyone to wake up to the horror of being trapped in a burning building.”