Off-Duty Paramedic Jumps in and Saves 7-Year-Old Girl After Her House Catches On Fire

An off-duty paramedic saves a girl from an extremely dangerous house fire on Thanksgiving Day in LA. Thanks to him, the little girl only suffered a few minor burns and blisters.

Off-Duty Paramedic Saves Girl from Blazing Fire

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The paramedic, Richard Recinos, saw the blaze while returning home from spending the holiday with his family. Then, he saw a girl standing on the porch just feet away from the fire. He immediately ran and threw her over his shoulder, bringing her to safety across the street, where a woman comforted her.

“Your mom is coming, your mom is coming,” the woman told her. 

The Little Girl Had Been Upstairs

The little girl, Savannah Vasquez, had been upstairs, waiting for her mom to come home. She had told her grandmother about the blaze and then ran outside. “Considering the circumstances, I saw my opportunity for a quick grab and go, quick exit, and everything went well,” Richard said.

"The guy saw me and came running," Savannah said. "That's what nice people do. Nice people help each other."

A Sign of What’s to Come for the Paramedic

The event sparked Richard’s dream of becoming a firefighter.

Most of the damage was to the exterior of the family’s house, which included a few trees that burned and a vehicle.

“Got a lot to be thankful for,” a neighbor said. “...I told my wife to call 911, and I woke up the kids. I came out here. I banged on the door to wake my neighbors up. Their kid, (Savannah) was the first one,” he said.

“At first, I thought it was just my imagination. I just standed there for like ten seconds. I didn’t know what to do,” Savannah said. Then she remembered that her school taught her not to grab anything and immediately find an exit.

A Thanksgiving Day to Remember

Richard “just came out of nowhere and… then he helped me get out of the fire,” Savannah said.

“My grandma’s car is now like a marshmallow,” she added. She’s a “million bajillion chachillion percent” grateful that her family is okay, “because I love my family,” she says. 

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What a blessing that several people immediately came to that girl’s aid! It’s a Thanksgiving that she and that paramedic will never forget.

WATCH: Off-Duty Paramedic Jumps in and Saves 7-Year-Old Girl After Her House Catches On Fire

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h/t: People

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/ABC7

Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.