LOS ANGELES (VINnews) — An off-duty Los Angeles Fire Department paramedic is being hailed as a hero after pulling a 7-year-old girl from a burning home in East Hollywood on Thanksgiving night.
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Richard Recinos was driving home from his family’s Thanksgiving dinner Thursday when he spotted flames engulfing a single-family house near Melrose Avenue and North Mariposa Avenue. On the front porch stood 7-year-old Savannah, alone and surrounded by growing fire.
“Considering the circumstances, I saw my opportunity for a quick grab and go, quick exit, and everything went well,” Recinos told reporters.
Recinos stopped his vehicle, rushed to the porch and carried Savannah to safety just moments before Los Angeles Fire Department crews arrived on scene. Firefighters then entered the burning home and rescued the rest of Savannah’s family.
Savannah was transported to a local hospital, where she was treated for minor burns to her feet and kept overnight for observation. The remaining family members were evaluated at the scene; no additional serious injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Recinos, a veteran paramedic, credited his training for keeping him calm during the rescue but described the moment as “pure instinct.”
Community members and fellow first responders have praised Recinos for his quick thinking and bravery in saving the young girl’s life.