Andrew Henderson lost everything in the fire in his apartment, but he still has with him the being who is dearest to him: his cat Flash. The latter was saved by a firefighter who did not hesitate to rush into the middle of the flames and the thick smoke to find him.
A terrible fire broke out on May 29 in the Palm Springs Villas 1 building in Palm Springs, California. The fire had ravaged a dozen apartments in this residence, including that of Andrew Henderson.
“I woke up in total darkness, with smoke everywhere, fire coming from my toilet and around me in the living room,” the young man recalls. He ran out, then came back just as quickly, as his cat Flash was still inside. However, he could not breathe and had to come out, before a new attempt ended, again, in failure.
He was horrified at the thought of not being able to save Flash, his best friend of 10 years. Luckily, someone else was about to do it.
Warned, Palm Springs firefighters quickly arrived on the scene. Among them was Freddy Paz. As soon as the latter learned that there was a cat’s life to save, he took action. With his colleagues, he managed to locate and rescue the animal despite the danger.
“We had found the cat on a bed. He had to hide, but he was there, safe and sound,” says the fire soldier to KESQ / News Channel 3. Freddy Paz who also finds that the name of the feline suits him perfectly: “He was Flash. He was quick. He was able to get out of harm’s way and get to safety until we could find him.»
Flash had spent an hour inside before the intervention of the firefighters. Although spared by the flames, he inhaled smoke, which earned him a week of hospitalization in a veterinary clinic.
KESQ/News Channel 3 hosted the video reunion between Andrew Henderson and Freddy Paz. The owner of the red cat was thus able to express all his gratitude to the brave firefighter. «I can’t imagine how things would have been without [Flash] being in my life right now. Especially going through this traumatic experience. And it was such a blessing. And you are my hero, man, you really are,” he told her.
