Two El Cajon natives are being hailed for their actions after a fire broke out earlier this month.
The blaze started in a detatched garage in the San Diego suburb on October 3. In addition to the garage, the fire spread to some trees, an adjacent fence, and destroyed two vehicles parked in front of the structure. The son-in-law of the owner said he started the fire accidentally, in the garage, where he ran his screen printing business.
Mike Dorendorf lives across the street from the home. As the fire grew and began to threaten the main structure, he and another neighbor became concerned for the owner; an 83-year-old man who suffered from dementia and was confined to a wheelchair.
Together, the two pounded on doors, peered in windows, and tried to locate the owner. When they got no response, the decided to break a window and see if they could find him. They located the owner, but he refused to leave, so the two picked him up and carried him to safety. The neighbors completed their rescue just as firefighters arrived.
Dorendorf denies he is a hero, and says he merely did what a good neighbor would do, adding he hopes someone would do the same for him in a similar situation.
The fire department could using this fire as an example, and work with a brochure printing company to create a booklet to mail to residents reminding them about fire safety.
