Santa Ana residents rescue 101-year-old neighbor from condo fire

A Santa Ana community scrambled to ensure their 101-year-old neighbor wasn't left behind when a fire broke out in her condo Thursday afternoon.

"I saw smoke above our neighbor's condo, and I saw that it was coming straight from her vent, so I ran to her," neighbor Priscilla Villapando said. "I know she's elderly and I started knocking. I couldn't get a hold of her, so I ran to the back. It was locked."

Villalpando and her father grabbed fire extinguishers and rushed inside to douse the flames in 101-year-old Ann Edwards condo.

Villapando said Edwards was confused and reluctant to leave her home shortly before a UPS delivery driver ran up and joined the rescue effort. 

Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Sean Doran said the group took control of the situation and ushered Edwards out of the home amid the chaos.

"They were able to really direct her," Doran said. "The UPS driver coming in and saying no more conversation, we are going to do this."

Before firefighters arrived at the condo, roofer and neighbor Javier Villalpando and his nephew grabbed a ladder and ran a hose down the roof vent to douse the fire. Edwards had been carried to another unit to be treated before paramedics took her to the hospital. 

"This is a very good community and a lot of good people came to the rescue," son Rick Edwards said. "I think it just shows that this particular area here really cares.

Edward's family said the 101-year-old is being treated for breathing issues and extremely high blood pressure. It's unclear when she'll be released.