Man defies evacuation orders, saves his home and others during Palisades Fire
With a racing car suit and his own fire hose, Robert Trinkkeller said he fought the flames of the Palisades Fire to save his home, and others in his neighborhood.
Several neighbors, including actor James Woods, are now thankful Trinkkeller stayed behind. His next-door neighbor, Paulretta Chandler gives him full credit for saving her home.
"Just can't even imagine what it would have been like if he hadn't stayed -- even though we all told him to leave," she said.
Others were grateful for updates as he lived off the grid and patrolled the evacuated Marquez Knolls neighborhood.
Trinkkeller said living in the area, he knew the fire threat was there, and his plan was always to stay. "I have a fire hose. I have a one-inch fire hose with 160 PSI, I have a pool. I drive race cars as a hobby, so I have a fire suit. So, I was prepared. So, I never -- I didn't even pack a car to evacuate," he said.
By the time flames got to his house, hydrants had run dry so Trinkkeller said he used buckets of water from the pool to save his home.
Documenting the neighborhood, Trinkkeller took cellphone videos of homes. He can be heard saying, "Ah that used to be Hank and Sharon's house," and in another, he records a smokey view, with debris flying about followed by flames, "Unfortunately, a propane tank is going up now."
After telling Woods about his home, the actor asked Trinkkeller to check on his elderly neighbor. "Well, the caregiver left. We don't know if the authorities told her to leave, anyway, he was abandoned," he said. "I see there's a fire in his backyard and I see him on a side window, in bed, he's infirmed and (has) Alzheimer's." Trinkkeller then was able to flag down a firefighter to rescue the man.
Trinkkeller said the experience has been mentally tough, but knowing he saved a life, and the gratitude of the man's son helps.
"And our community. We really have an amazing community here. I've always known a lot of my neighbors, and now I know probably 10 more," he said.
