Employees Honored For Rescue After Crash At SMC Hardware Store

REDWOOD CITY, CA — City Council formally honored two Hassett Ace Hardware employees Monday whose actions helped save a driver from a burning car that crashed into the company’s Woodside Plaza store in December.

At the Monday City Council meeting in Redwood City, Mayor Elmer Martínez Saballos presented certificates of recognition to Ricky Pera, 16, and Jose Manuel Urrea for what he described as heroic efforts.

A car crashed into Hassett Ace Hardware at the Woodside Plaza in Redwood City on Dec. 15, 2025, causing the store to temporarily close for repairs due to fire and water damage. According to owner Eric Hassett, the vehicle narrowly missed an employee, the employee's young daughter, and a customer, and then collided with butane tanks, causing a fire.

No injuries were reported, but the store sustained extensive water and smoke damage.

The mayor said that when the vehicle ignited, Pera and Urrea jumped into action and pulled the driver out of the vehicle, helped extinguish the fire and directed customers and employees to safety outside of the building.

“Because of their actions, no one suffered any major injuries and no lives were lost,” Martínez Saballos said.

“[It was] a shocking night for us all, a tragic one, and fortunately, there was no loss of life,” Hassett said.

He also said the building damage would take a couple months to repair, but emphasized the neighborhood’s response.

“What it’s really shown us is that what we do every day in supporting our community has been reflected right back, and the outpouring of support from the Redwood City community has been amazing,” Hassett said. “I promise you that we will be open hopefully by Memorial Day to bring our support back to the community that has supported us so well.”