Thanksgiving turned from a potential disaster to a heartwarming tale of community in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood, where local firefighters went beyond the call of duty. According to a report by NBC Bay Area, when an oven fire threatened to derail a family's holiday meal, the crew from Engine 28 stepped in to help.
The incident occurred a block away from the fire station. Responding to the call, firefighters found the family outside, facing an oven that had caught fire while their turkey was just beginning to cook. Osayande Aikhionbare, one of the firefighters, described how they initially put out the fire. Still facing a reignited oven that could not be cleaned without disassembly, they offered a novel solution. Thinking quickly, the team realized they could finish cooking the turkey at their station equipped with a spare oven.
"So we pulled up on scene, the family was outside and they said they had a fire in their oven," Aikhionbare recounted in the NBC Bay Area interview.
With the family's Thanksgiving on the line, the fire crew transported the turkey to their station and returned it perfectly cooked two and a half hours later. "Two and a half hours later, the turkey was brown and crisp and delicious looking," Aikhionbare said, presumably with a sense of pride for the good deed. Captain Jonathan Baxter noted the importance of such acts, saying, "When we have a fire, no matter how big or small it is, it's devastating, and anything we can do to alleviate that stress and put a smile on somebody’s face is what we do."
The gesture was a deviation from the typical responsibilities of firefighters, as acknowledged by Aikhionbare, but it made a significant impact. Not only did the family express gratitude for the crew's assistance, but the story also gained traction on social media. A post from the San Francisco Fire Department Media recounted how Engine 28 became not just protectors from fire but saviors of Thanksgiving for the local family. It confirmed, "The crew at Station 28 offered to cook the Turkey and, a few hours later, delivered a perfectly cooked Turkey Meal to the appreciative family."
Today, Engine 28, which protects North Beach, saved a family's day and Thanksgiving.
— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) November 29, 2024
Two blocks from the Fire Station, a family had an oven fire and couldn’t cook their Thanksgiving meal, including the turkey. The crew at Station 28 offered to cook the Turkey and, a few hours… pic.twitter.com/afKebmgZei
