HOUSTON — The Houston firefighter hailed as a hero for saving the lives of three fellow firefighters during a dangerous apartment fire is sharing his story.
Angel Gaitan, 32, an Army veteran, reflects on the fateful day that tested his courage and resolve.
Gaitan, who commutes from San Antonio to Houston for work, initially left the fire department after 18 months due to the financial and logistical challenges of the long commute, FOX 26 reported.
“My car was breaking down almost every time I came. Sometimes I had to Uber to work from wherever I was broken down, and it just became stressful,” Gaitan said. However, he rejoined the department in December after hearing about the “Reignite Your Passion Campaign,” an initiative addressing firefighter shortages.
On the day of the fire, crews responded to an apartment building on Jarmese Street near Coffee Street following reports of people trapped inside. While firefighters from Station 46 conducted a primary search and worked to extinguish the flames, Senior Captain Edward Escamilla and firefighters Darren Jones and Jonathan Guzman became trapped when the building suddenly flashed over.
“That’s when the mayday was dropped,” Gaitan said. “There was fire all around us. It was behind us, and you should never let fire get behind you, but our focus was on getting our guys out,” he said.
The scene was harrowing.
“I could see their gear burned off. You could see skin,” Gaitan added. Despite the danger, he and his team managed to pull their colleagues to safety.
Escamilla, Jones and Guzman suffered second- and third-degree burns to their hands, legs and neck. They were transported to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where they were reported to be awake and alert while receiving treatment.
The Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association is raising money to help cover expenses during their long recovery.
For Gaitan, the experience underscored his pride in his profession.
“It was an honor to be there that day,” he said. “Just showing up to work here every day is amazing. I feel like a kid again. Being here is just awesome.”
