KMAX: News of the West

Motorist starts blaze to hasten rescue after plunging off SoCal road

By NADA EL SAWY
Associated Press Writer

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. (AP) It's not something that firefighters advocate, but a stranded motorist who started a two-acre brush fire may have saved his own life.

Jong Choi, who had been stranded in a canyon since his vehicle plunged 500 feet over the side of a mountain highway Monday, lit the blaze Thursday morning to get attention, authorities said.

``I don't want to encourage people to start fires, but if you're trapped for four days you gotta do what you gotta do,'' said firefighter Jeff Ziegler, 39, who helped rescue the 45-year-old Choi.

The victim was dehydrated after being flown to Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, spokeswoman Connie Matthews said. He was listed in fair condition.

``He wants us to tell everybody that he's OK,'' Matthews said.

The two-acre blaze in Angeles National Forest was reported Thursday morning and Los Angeles County firefighters sent to battle it discovered the man standing outside his van, Ziegler said.

``He was in some pain and a little emotionally upset,'' Ziegler said. ``He had some facial injuries and swelling that made communication a little more difficult for him. He was mostly just relieved to know that he would be going home.''

The man was tired, hungry and barely able to talk when he was found, Ziegler said.

The firefighter said he yelled out, asking if anyone was in the canyon, but heard no response and didn't know there was a victim by the vehicle until he came face to face with the man.

When firefighters approached the man, Choi put his hands on his face and started crying, Ziegler said.

``He was so relieved that there was someone there,'' he said.

The van was lying on its side in brush far below Angeles Crest Highway, which rises quickly from the Los Angeles suburb of La Canada Flintridge into the San Gabriel Mountains.

The victim was strapped into a stretcher and hoisted by a helicopter out of the canyon.

The brush fire was doused within an hour.

(