Tuesday’s Dodger Game Credited With Big Save

The Dodgers have played four extra-inning games this season, and Tuesday night’s might have saved a life.

Capt. Matt Smith of Fire Station 14 here was listening to the Dodger game with the Padres in San Diego. When it went into extra innings, he took his radio outside so he would not disturb his sleeping crew.

While outside, Smith noticed smoke coming from a nearby building and sounded the alarm. Firefighters found a duplex on fire a block away. Fire Department spokesman Steve Jensen said that one occupant, Carlos Saadedra, had jumped out a window. The other occupant, Craig Muraocka, was found incapacitated inside and was pulled out by firefighters.

“If Smith had not been out in front of the station to see the fire, probably one man and possibly both would have died,” Jensen said. “If Matt Smith hadn’t been a Dodger fan and the game hadn’t gone extra innings, it would have been a different outcome.”

Jensen said the fire was started by a charcoal grill that had been left burning against the outside of the duplex. Damage was estimated at $80,000.