San Francisco

“He Did Everything Right:” Neighbor Hailed as Hero During San Jose Carport Fire

A neighbor visiting a friend's baby at the hospital came home early Tuesday to find a carport on fire, and quickly alerted the residents inside a fourplex to get out to safety.

"He did everything right," San Jose Fire Capt. Fernando Munoz told NBC Bay Area, saying that the man first called 911 when he saw smoke and flames about 3:30 a.m. in the carport on Weyburn Lane, and then knocked on residents doors to "get everyone out."

No one was injured during the two-alarm blaze, but seven people were evacuated.

Munoz said the man went to the hospital about 2:30 a.m. to bring his friend's parents to the hospital to visit the newborn baby. When he returned, he spotted smoke and flames that damages three cars in the carport.

It's unclear why the flames erupted, Munoz said, adding that investigators will check to see if something electrical or mechanical went awry with the cars. Arson investigators, however, initially believed the fires to be "suspicious."

No one was injured.

 Bay City News contributed to this report.

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