It was just before 2:30 in the morning when a resident woke up to a popping sound in her California home, followed almost immediately by her fire alarm. A fire had begun in the workshop at the back of the home, but the flames were quickly spreading to the rest of the two-story residence. Something needed to be done quickly to save the family and their pets.

The Orange County Fire Authority was quickly on the scene and sprayed the fire with water to control it as they worked to rescue all of the residents. The two people living in the home made it out quickly, along with their pet dog and pet rat. But they also owned a turtle, Kevin, who needed a little extra help to get to safety in a timely manner.

Cypress - A resident woke up to a popping sound and her smoke alarm going off shortly before 2:30 AM - notifying her of a fire. Firefighters were called out to the 4300 block of Via Largo for a fire that started in a workshop in the back and was rapidly spreading into a >>> pic.twitter.com/jlhW71XCrZ

— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) August 4, 2023

Luckily, fire crews were happy to help. Firefighters assisted Kevin in making his escape to safety and then ensured that no one else was left inside the home. They were even able to take some time to cover some of the homeowners' belongings with salvage covers to protect them from smoke and water damage. Truly above and beyond!

Kevin and the other residents of the house are likely a bit shaken up after this event, and they'll need to find a new place to stay for a while, but they're all going to be okay thanks to the quick work of the rescue teams.

Photo: Twitter/OFCA PIO

The fire crews have determined that the cause of the blaze was accidental. We're so happy that everyone made it out safely and that extra-special attention was paid to Kevin, who would ordinarily have been very vulnerable in a situation like this. Great job, Orange County Fire Authority!