Two senior citizens escaped a dangerous house fire on Saturday thanks to the heroism of two sheriff's deputies.
The couple's home in the 8800 block of East Broadway in San Gabriel was billowing thick smoke from a kitchen grease fire about 2 p.m. Saturday, when two separate patrol cars driving by the residence stopped to help, according to Lt. Frank Ruiz of the Temple Sheriff's Station.
"The deputies quickly stopped their vehicles and entered the residence to make sure there weren't any people stuck inside," Ruiz said. "Due to the thick smoke, the deputies had to crawl through the house on their hands and knees ... they discovered a disoriented couple inside the residence."
Deputies Jacqueline Morales and Orlando Macias, who each had been on routine patrols, managed to carry the two victims to safety, Ruiz said. The 89-year-old woman and 87-year-old man they rescued were transported by Los Angeles County Fire to a hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
The deputies themselves, too, were taken to a hospital to treat the same condition.
"The quick actions of Morales and Macias, while placing themselves in harm's way, undoubtedly saves the lives of this couple," Ruiz said. "The deputies' heroism is a reflection of their dedication to the communities served by Temple Station and the representation of the core values of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department to the highest degree."
County firefighters and San Gabriel City Fire responded and extinguished the grease fire in the residence's kitchen.
