By FireRescue1 Staff
EATONVILLE, Wash. — An off-duty firefighter who had just proposed to his girlfriend had to cut celebrations short to fight a fire alone.
KOMO News reported that volunteer firefighter Lucas Mayne and his girlfriend were on the Polar Express when he popped the question.
“Everything went perfectly, she said yes,” Mayne said.
The couple was on their way home when they spotted a fire at a liquor store, so Mayne jumped into action.
“We saw flames just starting to roll out the front window on the right hand side of the building as we were approaching it,” Mayne said. “We both looked at each other and said, Station 84 is right there, we don’t see the lights on and no movement.”
Due to budget constraints, the South Pierce Fire and Rescue’s Station 84 was closed for the night, but Mayne still managed to get a fire truck from the station and respond to the fire—all by himself.
“I’m really glad he was here and that his fiancée was so understanding about the circumstances,” Chief Lloyd Galey said.
Chief Galey said it is dangerous for one firefighter to respond on an engine to a blaze, but added that the department needs more volunteers to cover their area safely.