SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Tuesday, an Ocean Beach home caught on fire. Neighbors stepped in to help and so did a mystery man, who helped to put out the flames.
Now the community is trying to find him, to share their gratitude.
On Tuesday on a quiet street in Ocean Beach, the unthinkable happened.
“I smelt it and I shot out of bed and I was like what is it, where is it, and she said I can’t find it," recalls Ismael Jimenez Seery.
Seery says that he and his girlfriend looked high and low, only to find dark clouds coming from right next door.
“I started yelling help, help, help, help, and my neighbor Ashley actually got on the phone and called the fire department," explains Seery. "But it actually took her about four minutes to actually connect with the operator to get them to come down.”
It was at that time that the neighbors stepped in to help. And Seery shares that a mysterious man suddenly appeared.
“Some guy showed up out of nowhere like an Angel," he recalls. "And he said I’m a retired firefighter and he got on scene and looked like he remembered his training.”
Ismael says he and the unnamed man grabbed hoses to help put out the flames before firefighters arrived. A video sent in to ABC10 News from a viewer, shows neighbors helping a grandmother and grandson escape the house. Ismael says that the mystery man can't be seen because he was inside the house.
From Ismael's backyard, you can see the damage that is just next door. Now Ismael just wants to say thank you to a man that he's looking to find.
“I’d crack a beer with him, I’d give him a hug," he shares with a laugh.
He hopes the stranger will show his face once again, “It’s heartwarming to know that people in the community are like that, you know willing to step in to give a helping hand and even give their own life for someone else's."
He furthers, "It shows that there are just really good decent people out there.”
