The Los Angeles Board of Fire Commissioners has formally recognized the bravery of four LAPD officers and a civilian photographer for their roles in a life-threatening car rescue earlier this year. Officers Yulián Castrillo, Kevin Hernández, Alexander Martinez, and Cheyne Underwood, along with photographer Howard Raishbrook, were honored for their actions during a fiery crash that occurred in Encino on February 20, as reported by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
In the aftermath of the crash where a vehicle struck a traffic light pole and burst into flames, these officers, with the car burning around them, made repeated attempts to save the vehicle's occupants. A third passenger was trapped inside while they worked to extract the driver and another passenger. “I can see a big orange bowl of fire, and I can see LAPD rushing toward this, smashing out the windows," Raishbrook, who was covering the incident, told LAFD in an interview. “I thought, ‘Hopefully, everybody’s out.’ They were pulling two people out, and I heard one of the victims say, ‘There’s someone else in the car.’ So I ran back, grabbed my fire extinguisher, and tried to help."
The ceremony honored the group for their quick response and selflessness, with LAFD Fire Chief Kristin Crowley and Board President Genethia Hudley-Hayes highlighting the unsheathed bravery displayed by the officers. "With no protective gear, with no real training at putting out fires, they did the best they could and saved lives," President Hudley-Hayes said in the LAFD news release. Two teenagers were rescued from the blaze with minor injuries, but despite their valiant efforts, a female teen trapped in the rear seat unfortunately did not survive.
