Thursday, July 01, 1999
Deliveryman saves a life, but one lost
BY TOM O'NEILL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SPRINGFIELD TOWNSHIP — Rick Beal's job was to deliver a pizza, not a miracle.
But on his way to a LaRosa's delivery minutes before midnight on Tuesday, Mr. Beal saw a Mill Road home on fire. He stopped, frantically banged on the door, then ran next door to alert the residents to call 911. Then he saw 20-year-old Randy Vayo stumble out, disoriented and coughing.
Mr. Beal said in a soft voice Wednesday he was torn between the high of saving another man's life, and the low of knowing their panicked attempts to save another man failed.
John Dawson, 26, Mr. Vayo's roommate, was pulled from the house on Mill Road by firefighters but died early Wednesday at Mercy Hospital Fairfield.
Mr. Beal doesn't consider himself a hero. “I was just doing what I could,” Mr. Beal said.
The fire was reported by neighbor Anthony Mead, 17, at 11:56 p.m., and Forest Park and Springfield Township firefighters were there three minutes later. The blaze is thought to have started in a laundry area, Forest Park Deputy Fire Chief Mike Rupp said Wednesday. He estimated the damage at $30,000.
“It was all so fast,” Mr. Beal said. “There was an awful lot of smoke. I could see flames up and down inside the house, fire everywhere.”
His words slowed as he recalled what he saw and heard: a dazed Mr. Vayo, who had been asleep, emerging from the burning home in his underwear, and Mr. Dawson yelling from the basement, unable to get out.
“I beat that door hard,” he said. “I'm just glad he got out, that's the main thing. But I feel bad for the other guy.”
Deputy Chief Rupp said Mr. Beal's quick thinking and decisive actions were exemplary. Smoke detectors in the home weren't working, he said.
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