Once again Alajuela is the birthplace of Costa Rican heroes.

Drummer boy and infantry rifleman Juan Santamaria became our national hero when he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country back in 1856, when he set fire to the farmhouse where American filibuster William Walker and his gang of mercenaries had taken positions.

The latest hero in Costa Rica is also from Alajuela. His name is Juan Cortes, a garbage collector who rushed into a blazing fire and rescued a four-year old girl.

Yesterday morning, Mr. Cortes was holding on to the back of a dump truck as he usually does most days of the week, scanning for garbage bags and containers left outside homes in the neighborhood of Monte Rocoso, near El Coyol de Alajuela.

According to La Nacion, the 28-year old Mr. Cortes did not think twice about rushing into a fiery blaze once he heard a woman outside screaming out for help. The woman’s daughter was trapped inside the house on fire. Mr. Cortes did not bother going in through the front door or looking around the house for a safe way inside. He dove through a window right into the fire, according to neighbors who told La Nacion that the house was completely engulfed in flames.

Mr. Cortes later explained to La Nacion that as soon as he landed inside the inferno it was hard to see amidst all the smoke and flames:

“As soon as [the little girl] saw me, she threw her arms around me and asked me to not leave her alone and to get her out of there. I don’t how I pulled it off, but I got her out of there safe and sound.”

“I thought about my daughter, who is about the same age, and when I noticed that no one was doing anything, I decided to jump into the fire and look for the little girl.”

The mother of the lucky girl, Berenice Loria, thanked God that nothing happened to her children. She has two other children whom she was able to rescue, but her daughter was trapped and she was not able to get her out.

“I couldn’t see where she was with all the smoke and fire. Suddenly, the garbage man appeared and got her out. I am very grateful; may God bless him.”

Two fire engines and ten firefighters from Alajuela and Heredia arrived minutes after the heroic rescue. It took them 15 minutes to put out the fire. Mr. Cortes continued his garbage collection duties.