CHULA VISTA, Calif. - A teen out for a morning jog became an unlikely hero Friday after a boat caught fire at the Chula Vista Marina.
Stephen Gutierrez, 17, untied a burning boat from its pier and pushed it away from the docks to keep the fire from spreading.
"I was hoping everyone was OK," Gutierrez told 10News. "I've lived here since I was 5 years old, and I couldn't just stand by and let somebody die if somebody was in there."
No one was on the 27-foot boat when the fire started, according to investigators. Chula Vista firefighters and Harbor Police helped put the blaze out in under 20 minutes.
Investigators still determining the cause of the fire.
The Marina's general manager told 10News they've contacted the boat's owner. According to the Marina, the owner is "devastated" by the fire and asked for privacy as he tries to get it fixed.
Gutierrez said he never thought about the danger when he ran to help. While other boat owners on the dock call him a hero, he said he doesn't feel like one.
"What was going through my mind was, 'Oh, man, my mom is going to yell at me.' I can't tell her what I did. So I just had to do it," said Gutierrez.
