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This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

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Heroic 22-Year-Old Video Gamer Rescues Octogenarian from Mobile Home Fire

house on fire home.jpg
Photo by Benjamin Page via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr

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Here’s a story for the next time someone tells you that video games make you a violent/useless sociopath/stoner: this morning, a 22-year-old Westminster man who was in the midst of a video game rescued his 87-year-old neighbor, who was overcome by smoke in a mobile home fire across the street.

“It could have been a lot worse if the neighbor did not intervene," Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi told City News Service. “The man could have had more serious injuries."

“A 22-year-old neighbor across from him was playing video games and basically looked out his window and saw the fire," Concialdi said. “He ran into his neighbor's house and was able to successfully exit him out."

The victim was treated at the scene and refused a trip to the hospital. The fire caused around $25,000 in damage.

We called the O.C. Fire Authority to get the heroic Grand Theft Auto player’s name but haven’t heard back yet. Either way, we’re guessing it’ll be on Reddit soon.

UPDATE: KABC reports the 22-year-old gamer is Misrael Flores.

"I did what I could. I see his house engulfed in flames. I see him on the ground so I picked him up and I brought him to my house. He's doing good now. He told me everything was an electrical problem," Flores told the station.

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An O.C. Fire spokesman told LAist the fire was sparked by an extension cord.

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