Off-duty firefighter rescues victims in fiery Mission Viejo salon crash

An off-duty California fire captain charged into a burning nail salon to rescue trapped customers after an electric vehicle smashed into the business and burst into flames Wednesday.

Orange County Fire Authority Captain Chris Chang sprang into action at Blossom Nails & Spa in Mission Viejo after the crash sparked a blaze around 11:42 a.m., potentially preventing the fire from spreading to neighboring businesses.

“This morning, an electric vehicle crashed into a nail salon and immediately caught fire. Off-duty OCFA Fire Captain Chris Chang sprang into action, running into the burning salon to make sure everyone was out,” the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) said.

Chang wasn’t the only firefighter who happened to be nearby.

“Engine 12s captain and engineer were nearby, following an ambulance in which their two firefighter/paramedics were transporting a patient to the hospital on a different call. When the captain and engineer heard the fire dispatch on the radio, they diverted to the nail salon where they were first on scene,” OCFA added.

Video from the scene showed thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the burning vehicle as Chang rushed to help firefighters tackle the flames.

The crash happened at Blossom Nails & Spa, located at 24395 Alicia Parkway, next to a dry cleaner and Casa Franco, a Mexican restaurant.

Thanks to the rapid response, the blaze did not severely spread to the neighboring businesses.

Chang’s path to firefighting was an unconventional one. The captain initially worked as a chiropractor before joining OCFA and is now a father of two.

The incident is the latest in a string of fiery electric vehicle crashes that have raised concerns about the dangers posed by lithium-ion batteries.

In April 2025, two people were killed when a Tesla slammed into a tree and burst into flames in Claremont. The vehicle’s lithium batteries fueled the blaze, prompting a hazardous materials team to respond.

Earlier this year a white Tesla burst into a terrifying fireball after a crash in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, sending two people to the hospital.

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