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Man Hailed As Hero After Van Crashes Into Garden Grove Apartment Complex

GARDEN GROVE (CBSLA.com) — A man is being hailed a hero Thursday for saving the life of a driver who lost control of his van, hit a power line and slammed into an apartment complex before the vehicle burst into flames.

The crash happened just after 1 a.m. in the 1300 block of Magnolia Street in Garden Grove, police said.

According to authorities, the 56-year-old male driver suffered a possible heart attack and lost control of his van.

The vehicle clipped a fire hydrant before taking down power lines and slamming into the complex.

"The vehicle caught on fire, which spread to the apartment building," Lt. Ben Stauffer said.

Jesus Dominguez, a 22-year-old resident at the complex, witnessed the accident and helped evacuate six people from their home.

Dominguez also helped pull the driver, a Huntington Beach resident, from the burning van, according to authorities.

"He was later awarded the Chief's Coin, which is a thing our department does to recognize heroic actions by citizens," Officer Nathan Morton said. "So we're very fortunate to have him, Jesus, help out."

The unidentified driver was transported to UCI Medical Center in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.

Red Cross has responded to the scene to help the displaced residents.

 

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