Sorry if this is a little late in being posted, but my company just put this article on our homepage.
Electrical distributor Rexel is praising the heroism of one of its New England-based delivery drivers who risked his life to save three people from a burning house in late September.
Ramiro "Junior" Santiago is a midnight express driver for Rexel's Hartford, Conn. branch. On September 30, at 3 a.m., he had just finished making a delivery in Northampton, Mass., when he came upon a house engulfed in flames. He immediately pulled his truck over to the curb and directed another passerby, who had also stopped, to call 911.
Santiago reportedly leapt into action, kicking in the locked door of the house as flames and smoke shot out. Wrapping his sweatshirt around his head and face, he entered the house and immediately found a 12-year-old boy and helped him to safety. The boy told Santiago that his mother and disabled grandfather were still inside, so Santiago went back in, first bumping into the family dog and leading him to safety. Santiago went back in a third time to rescue the boy's mother and a fourth time to lead the grandfather to safety. Within five minutes, Santiago had gotten everyone out of the home.
Police and fire officials arrived shortly thereafter, and Santiago gave them his name and phone number before climbing back into his truck to complete his round of midnight deliveries.
When asked why he kept going back into the house over and over again, Santiago said, "I would want someone to do the same for me if my family was in the same situation."
In a local television report later, neighbors who witnessed the event said the family would have perished if someone hadn't come by and forced the door open.
"Whoever he was, we thank him," the neighbor told the television station.
Rexel_employee_saves_family_from_burning_house.php
I work in a different geographical area from him, but I'm proud to know I work with someone like this.
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