Letter Carrier Victor Castaneda was delivering mail in Glendale, CA, recently when he noticed smoke rising from a rooftop.
At first, Castaneda thought the smoke was caused by a repair crew working on the roof. But as he watched, the smoke thickened, and flames began to engulf the duplex.
The Postal Service employee ran to the house next door and used water from the neighbor’s garden hose to assist the workers and Anita Siraki, the occupant in the home, until firefighters arrived.
Firefighters said Castaneda’s actions may have kept the flames from spreading to a nearby apartment building.
Castaneda was later honored at a Glendale City Hall ceremony, where he was praised for taking action while others stood by and recorded the event on their cellphones.
“In that terrifying moment, when most would have turned away, Victor turned toward the danger — not for recognition, but simply because he cared about the people he serves every single day,” said Siraki.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
