Key Points

• A member of the fire department at Marathon Petroleum’s El Paso, Texas, refinery recently saved a woman from her burning car outside a local coffee shop.
• The firefighter and his daughter were getting beverages when they noticed sparks coming from under the vehicle as the woman parked the car.
• He got the woman out of her car, put out the flames with a fire extinguisher, and will be recognized by the city’s fire department in an upcoming ceremony.

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For Alex Trejo, it’s more than his professional training that keeps him ready to run toward danger to help others.

“What motivates me is the thought that if my family ever needed help, I’d hope someone would be there for them, too,” said Trejo, a control board operator and member of the fire and rescue department at Marathon Petroleum’s El Paso, Texas, refinery. “It’s about treating people the way I’d want my own loved ones to be treated.”

Trejo’s readiness recently proved invaluable for a young woman. She was parking near the entrance of a restaurant next to the coffee shop where Trejo and his daughter were getting beverages. That’s when they noticed sparks coming from underneath her car.  

“When I recognized the fire, I rushed to alert the driver who was still inside her vehicle, using her cellphone, and had not yet noticed the danger she was in,” Trejo said.

Running past people at the restaurant’s front door, Trejo called for a fire extinguisher.

“Seeing where the driver had parked, I knew the fire had the potential to cause greater damage, not only to vehicles, but to people in the vicinity,” he said.

“What motivates me is the thought that if my family ever needed help, I’d hope someone would be there for them, too.”

After helping the woman out of the car and making sure no one else was inside, Trejo was handed an extinguisher by a restaurant employee and put out the flames. The vehicle’s hood and most of its front-left wheel well were badly damaged, but the woman was safe.

“When I went back to check on the driver, she was quite shaken by what was going on,” he said. “I also checked with the restaurant manager to make sure the city fire department had been called.”

Knowing the situation was under control, Trejo went on his way before firefighters arrived. However, his good deed has not gone unnoticed. The city of El Paso's fire department is planning to publicly recognize Trejo early next year among a group of honorees at the department’s annual civilian recognition awards ceremony.

El Paso Refinery Fire Chief Daniel Roy called the refinery fortunate to have Trejo.

“His actions reflect that a true firefighter is never really off duty,” said Roy. “He exemplifies what it means to devote yourself to the selfless service of your co-workers, fellow firefighters and the greater El Paso community.”

Trejo credited the department for putting him in position to act. 

“I’ve had great training at the El Paso refinery, and when it came down to it, I was comfortable dealing with the situation,” he said. “It’s a great thing to be honored. But I am 100% sure that any one of my brothers and sisters from the refinery’s fire and rescue department would have done the same.”