Oscar A. Leiva saved Lynn Bloom and Mary M. Rocha from burning, Tracy, California, November 29, 2005. Bloom and Rocha, 92, were inside Rocha’s one-story house after fire broke out in a front bedroom. A neighbor, Leiva, 34, forklift operator, was working outside when he saw smoke, and he responded to the scene. Leiva kicked in the front door of the house and entered the living room, in which visibility was severely hampered by dense smoke. He proceeded into the adjoining front bedroom, which was aflame. Not seeing anyone, Leiva left the bedroom and found Bloom in the living room, on a couch. He got her to her feet and walked her through the front door to safety. Re-entering the house, Leiva crossed the living room and went to the back door. He opened the door to clear the smoke for better visibility. Hearing Rocha coughing, Leiva found her in a bedroom at the back of the house. He picked her up and carried her through the back door to safety. Both women were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Leiva also required hospital treatment for having inhaled smoke, and he recovered.
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