Good Samaritans Honored For Life-Saving Actions During Norwalk Fire

NORWALK, CT — When Dave Kuban, James Clifford, Jomar Orejuela and Michael Riina encountered a brush fire behind the Center Seven shopping center on April 26, they did not hesitate.

Instead, the four good Samaritans sprung into action and saved the life of a 60-year-old man before firefighters arrived to take further action.

On Tuesday, the city honored Kuban, Clifford, Orejuela and Riina for their life-saving actions during a ceremony in the City Hall atrium.

Mayor Harry Rilling commended the four men for running through flames to pull the 60-year-old man from the brush fire.

The rescued man was then airlifted to a Bridgeport burn center, where he is currently being treated for severe burns, Rilling said.

"It's really remarkable when you have citizens who put their lives in danger to save somebody else," Rilling said. "I don't think there's any greater honor or greater heroic action than that, and we certainly recognize the fact that Dave and James and Omar and Michael put their lives on the line in order to save a 60-year-old man, who is now being treated."

Kuban and Clifford are the owner and manager of Planet Pizza in Norwalk respectively, and Orejuela manages the city's Wayback Burgers restaurant. Both businesses are located in the shopping center at 607 Main Avenue.

Rilling presented all three men with a certificate Tuesday in front of their gathered family members. Riina, a Norwalk resident, was unable to attend Tuesday's ceremony.

"This is pretty awesome," Clifford said after receiving his certificate. "Thank you for everyone who made this even possible and put this together. It's really cool to be recognized for it. It's not what we did it for, but we're very grateful that you guys put this together for us."

Clifford and Kuban also thanked their families for their love and support.

"You've always been in my corner the whole way and always led by example," Clifford said, "so I just want to say thank you for everything and I love you guys very much."

Rilling noted Clifford's grandmother, who was in attendance Tuesday, served as his executive assistant for many years while he was the city's police chief and said she is a "lovely, wonderful person."

While talking about the group's quick actions during the fire, Orejuela said it was "something that just felt right" in the moment.

"I couldn't have that happen on the shift that I was on," Orejuela said. "I'm sure these guys couldn't let that happen either. We feel like it's our responsibility there just to keep everybody safe...and we all knew it was just the right thing to do."

Fire Chief Gino Gatto and Police Chief James Walsh both praised the four good Samaritans for selflessly risking their lives to save someone else.

"These guys were in the right place at the right time," Gatto said. "They acted in a way that typically most people don't...they really epitomized the definition of good Samaritan."

Walsh, who was familiar with the four men, noted this was just another example of the group stepping up to assist someone in need.

"From what I've been told," Walsh said, "if they didn't intervene at the time it would have been much more dire circumstances for this individual."

At the time of the incident, Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Maggio said a brush fire with a burn victim was reported behind the shopping center on April 26.

When crews arrived, they found an approximately 1,000-square foot area of brush burning between the Norwalk River and the back parking area of the shopping center, Maggio said.

Before firefighters arrived, good Samaritans pulled the victim from the fire and up an embankment to safety, according to Maggio.

Crews began treating the burn victim as firefighters extinguished the blaze. The burn victim was taken to Norwalk Hospital by emergency medical service crews and airlifted to the burn center at Bridgeport Hospital for treatment of serious injuries, according to Maggio.

"The Norwalk Fire Department commends the courage and brave efforts of the good samaritans," Maggio said in a news release, "in what likely saved the victim's life."

Maggio said last month police and the Norwalk Fire Marshal's Office are investigating the fire.

Rilling applauded the four men for their bravery and for doing the right thing even though it was dangerous.

"Oftentimes when we recognize people for their heroic activities, the first thing they say is 'I didn't even think, we just did it,'" Rilling said, "and later on they start to reflect on it and they say [they knew] it was the right thing to do."