At 7:44 p.m., Sunday, February 21, 1965, a call came into the Decoto Fire Department. Jeff Brown was calling in a fire at the home next to his. The fire department responded with a 1250 gallon pumper and "a full force of firemen", as reported by the Union City Leader.
The home, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Leo Wiley, was fully engulfed and belching smoke. The firemen had to go into the building to get the Wiley's. The details of the rescue is described in the newspaper as such;
"With a mighty kick, Union City Fire Chief Ken Garcia broke open the front door of the home at 1501 Purdue court last Sunday night. A great think gush of black smoke came flushing through the door. Instantly Volunteer Fireman Joe Seoane and the Chief dropped to their hands and knees and crawled into the 180 degree heat and smoke, hugging the floor as they went. From somewhere in the ink-black interior of the home they hard a weak cry, '.. Help us, help us.' The firemen found Mr. and Mrs. Leo Wiley groping in the darkness of the kitchen and let them safely out of the building."
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The Wiley's were sent to Washington Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. The home suffered an estimated $6,000 in damage. Chief Garcia described the conditions of the fire; "The interior of the house was so hot that light bulbs exploded and plastic items like the TV knobs melted." He also said that this was the first rescue they had to do, where they had to go inside and pull people out.
Fireman Joe Seoane was on the first Union City City Council and also a Trustee of the Decoto School District.