Good Samaritans who saved children from burning car in Wilmington describe heroic actions

WILMINGTON, Delaware (WPVI) -- A mom and her two children are lucky to be alive after escaping a car fire thanks to the help of good Samaritans in Wilmington, Delaware.

It happened just after 7:30 p.m. Monday at the intersection of A and South Walnut streets as the mother was leaving a gas station.

Fortunately, at that gas station was a group of men who jumped into action to save the family.

"They have a little business here. They wash cars," said Wilmington Firefighter Alex Ortiz, who served as an interpreter as the men spoke to Action News.

As she left the parking lot, the men who work at the small car wash business could see that the car was on fire.

As the woman driving the car realized that flames were overtaking her and her car, she was able to get out, frantically seeking help for her children.

Elio Solano says he and his coworkers immediately jumped into action.

"They said they didn't even think about it," said Ortiz, interpreting Solano's words. "They just started running this way and helping."

Eight-month-old Aliyah Hawkins and 6-year-old Dante Hawkins were trapped inside the burning car.

Julio Andres Jiminez Colon described the smoke and flames as being so heavy, that he didn't initially realize there were children in the backseat.

He covered his face with his shirt and reached in blindly to save Aliyah, who was in her car seat.

"With the intensity of the fire, he couldn't see," said Ortiz interpreted. "He could hear the baby crying really loud and screaming. He was able to go in within seconds and unstrap the seatbelt."

Knowing their bravery saved his family, Harlan Hawkins was overcome by the men's actions. He pulled up to the carwash Tuesday afternoon to personally thank them.

"Tipping my hat to them," he said before addressing the men directly. "That's something y'all ain't have to do. For real."

Hawkins says the mother of the children is his niece, 22-year-old Lariyah Aunyea Hawkins, who is like a daughter to him.

The men saved the children before firefighters arrived to put off the fast-moving flames. They described being surprised by how fast the flames spread.

"The intensity of the fire built so fast, apparently what they found is there were fireworks in the trunk if I'm not mistaken," Ortiz interpreted.

Angel Rivera said all he could think about was the fact that he had a young daughter as he and the other men worked to rescue the children.

"A lot of them have kids so that's the first initial thing they thought about," said Ortiz. "They said thank God they were able to do what they were able to do and save somebody's life."

The mom and children sustained second and third-degree burns. Their loved one, though, says all are expected to pull through.