Belmont Dad Honored for Heroics in 2011 Fire

With his wife, 10-month-old son, and extended family looking on, Paul Mesa received a proclamation at Tuesday night's Belmont City Council meeting commending his heroic efforts in the fire that destroyed his Carlmont Drive apartment building last year.

Belmont Fire Chief Doug Fry told the story of how Mesa was awakened in the early morning hours of Jan. 11, 2011 to smoke and fire filling his apartment. 

"In my 36 years as a fire fighter, I've seen a lot of fires," Fry said. "This is one I'll remember for some time."

Mesa ran through smoke and flames in the building to warn neighbors, then ran outside beneath the balcony of his second floor unit where he told his wife, who was six months pregnant, to jump into his arms. 

Alyssa Mesa landed safely in her husband's arms and he then went back into the building to continue the safe evacuation of neighbors. 

Six people were injured in the fire, and all have recovered from their injuries. 

Mayor Dave Warden read the proclamation to Mesa, Alyssa and their 10-month-old son, Jacob. City council members offered their congratulations, and Chief Fry presented Jacob with a fire department teddy bear. 

In addition to Mesa's family, members of the Belmont Fire Department and the Belmont Police Department were in the audience to honor him.

Battalion Chief Tommy Mota introduced himself to the Mesas after the ceremony, "That was my fire," he told the family, explaining he was on duty the night of the blaze and oversaw the firefighting and rescue efforts. 

The Mesas say that their life is back to normal, a year after the fire. "We're actually looking for a house now," Alyssa said.