Firefighters Say Passerby Saved Life of Man in Burning Home

BUENA PARK — An Anaheim insurance salesman who had just picked his daughter up from choir practice Tuesday stopped moments later to rescue a homeowner from his burning house, saving the man’s life, fire authorities said.

Thomas Nicols, 34, dragged Ralph Grove, 48, from the flames that engulfed his house in the 8400 block of San Carlos Way shortly before 4 p.m.

“We’re going to nominate this young man for the Medal of Valor [given by] the California Fire Fighters Assn.,” said fire spokesman Dennis Shell.

Nicols said he simply reacted when he saw the house aflame and immediately pulled over.

“It was just automatic,” Nicols said. “The front porch was on fire so I ran around to the back. I saw a guy lying inside the sliding glass door. The smoke was pouring out, so I just grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him outside.”

An unidentified La Palma police officer also stopped to help, arriving as Nichols pulled Grove to safety.

Grove was taken to La Palma Intercommunity Hospital suffering second-degree burns to his arms and hands and first-degree burns to his back and shoulders.

His wife, Sally Grove, 47, arrived home as paramedics loaded her husband into an ambulance.

A puppy that belonged to the Groves’ 12-year-old son died in the blaze, Shell said.

The fire caused $50,000 damage to the structure and $20,000 in damage to the contents.

Nicols’ wife, Joy, said that when her husband arrived home, her daughter ran to tell to her, “Daddy saved someone’s life!”