Good Samaritans Save 2 Dogs From Burning Car

No one got this Good Samaritan’s name in the parking lot

Good Samaritans at a supermarket saved the lives of two dogs, stuck inside a burning car Wednesday night in Waterboro, Maine.

“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” said Patrick Mazzillo, who left his dogs Dyna and Bruno in his car, as he went inside Hannaford for groceries. 

While he was shopping, someone in the parking lot noticed smoke, then flames coming from his engine. 

Around the same time, off-duty York County Sheriff Captain Dan Bean was leaving the grocery store, and saw the man standing by the burning car. 

Captain Bean ran to his cruiser, grabbed a fire extinguisher, and with the help of the bystander, put out the fire and freed the dogs. 

Another woman, later identified as Michele Baker, helped catch the dogs, calmed them down, and kept them inside her vehicle, while they waited for Mazzillo to come out of the store. 

“I ran out of the Hannaford, and my first thought was, ‘Are my dogs still in the car?’” Mazzillo said. “’Am I going to get out her and find my two dogs dead?’” 

His panic turned to relief when he realized his dogs survived. He was stunned to find out it was three strangers who stepped in to help. 

“I don’t think anyone was hesitant about getting the dogs out of the car,” said Captain Bean. “It was a nice community effort to deal with this situation.” 

Baker, when reached by phone, declined to be interviewed about the rescue. She insisted that it was the first man on the scene, who helped Captain Bean, who deserves the credit. 

But no one got this Good Samaritan’s name in the parking lot, and Mazzillo wants to know who to thank. 

“I want to say thank you,” he said. “I am so grateful to whoever you are for opening the door and letting my dogs out,” said Mazzillo. 

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