Authorities say the fire erupted at a two-story house in the 6700 block of Crista Palma Lane just before 1:30 a.m.
Joey Falzon, 26, heard popping noises from the fire, so he ran to the home, kicked the door in and helped two elderly residents out.
"I just saw the house on fire, ran out there with my phone, you know, threw a shirt on," said Joey. He was visiting his parents for the night and happened to be awake.
Joey's mother, Jo Falzon, says she woke up to her son's yelling, and moments later, realized he was inside the burning house.
"He was banging on their door, and they didn't answer so he busted in," said Jo Falzon.
"I saw him standing in the doorway, so I kicked it open, and it was just a mess," said Joey Falzon. "His wife was asleep so I woke her up, and then he starts wandering upstairs so I had to drag him out of the house; it was just an inferno. I couldn't, you don't think about it, but it's hot in there."
When fire crews arrived, flames were seen blowing from a second floor window, officials said.
Twenty-eight firefighters responded to the scene. The fire was knocked down by 1:50 a.m.
Joey Falzon, who insists he did nothing special, is being hailed a hero by the Huntington Beach Fire Department. They say the home did not have a smoke detector, and that the elderly couple appeared to be unaware the noise coming from upstairs was from a fire. Had Joey not stepped in, the outcome may have been tragically different.
"He did a good thing. He did what he needed to do," said Huntington Beach Fire Department Cpt. Bob Culhane.
Joey Falzon's mom agrees.
"He just did what he's saying anybody else would do, but I think he's pretty special," she said.
Joey Falzon says he was "just at the right place at the right time."
One of the homeowners suffered burn wounds. He was taken to UC Irvine Medical Center, but is expected to be OK.
The couple's family issued a statement saying they are "beyond grateful" to Joey Falzon for his incredible courage.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
City News Service contributed to this report.
