Uber Celebrates NY Driver Who Ran Into Burning Building to Save Victims During Ride to Airport

Uber kicked off its first-ever Uber Yearbook by celebrating the New York City driver who paused a ride to run into a burning building to save victims.

CBS News reports that Fritz Sam stopped his Uber ride to the airport last Wednesday to rush into a burning building in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant section.

“When I thought that there might me someone inside that building, there was something in me that couldn’t hold back and I just had to go inside,” Sam said.

Firefighters arrived just as Sam brought one woman out of the building.

“She said, ‘No, I don’t want to go.’ And I was like, ‘What? I am not leaving you,'” Sam recalled.

The fire ignited just before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, and firefighters got it under control within a half hour. No one was injured in the blaze, firefighters said.

Jemma Wei was the passenger in Sam’s car when he stopped to assist the victims. Wei was en route to LaGuardia airport and said there might’ve been a different outcome had Sam not been around.

“The fire was pretty scary, so it looked like it might explode,” Wei said.

“So, I think he just thought it was very important to get everyone out. And it turns out, it was a really good call because the tenant was still inside.”

Uber released a statement praising Sam’s valiant effort.

“We’re incredibly grateful to have such a heroic and thoughtful member of our community in Fritz,” the statement said.

“Today, he went above and beyond to keep his neighbors in New York safe — and still managed to get his rider to the airport on time.”

Meet hometown hero Fritz Sam, New York City, who momentarily interrupted an airport ride – to run into a burning building and rush people to safety!

Welcome to our first-ever Uber Yearbook highlighting some of the most inspiring people in the Uber community. pic.twitter.com/cLVeK3J3iI

— Uber (@Uber) August 19, 2022

On Friday, Uber announced their new annual Yearbook series and hailed Sam as a “hometown hero.”

“Meet hometown hero Fritz Sam, New York City, who momentarily interrupted an airport ride — to run into a burning building and rush people to safety!”

Welcome the first-ever Uber Yearbook highlighting some of the most inspiring people in the Uber community.