Shaffer
01-16-03, 10:20 AM
A Marine reservist who helped save two neighbor girls and their father from a burning home last month was called a hero by local officials.
Marine Cpl. Arlen Traster accepted the praises of City Council members, firefighters and Sheriff's Department officials at a Lancaster City Hall meeting with a humble thank you.
"Everyone keeps patting me on the back and I appreciate it, but it's something I think anyone would have done," said Traster, a Lancaster resident who was called to active duty in February.
Traster ran up the stairs of the burning home twice, rescued Jannet, 12, and Evelyn Zepeda, 14, off the roof, and helped their father, Jesus Zepeda, out of the smoke-filled house. The girls' mother, Luz Zepeda, died in the fire, trapped in a bathroom after she pushed her younger daughter out a small window.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20949~1113340,00.html
Marine Cpl. Arlen Traster accepted the praises of City Council members, firefighters and Sheriff's Department officials at a Lancaster City Hall meeting with a humble thank you.
"Everyone keeps patting me on the back and I appreciate it, but it's something I think anyone would have done," said Traster, a Lancaster resident who was called to active duty in February.
Traster ran up the stairs of the burning home twice, rescued Jannet, 12, and Evelyn Zepeda, 14, off the roof, and helped their father, Jesus Zepeda, out of the smoke-filled house. The girls' mother, Luz Zepeda, died in the fire, trapped in a bathroom after she pushed her younger daughter out a small window.
http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20949~1113340,00.html