Firefighters Miraculously Return Ring That Survived Getty Fire — and Another Blaze in 1961
A diamond ring that made it through a fire nearly six decades ago is a survivor once again in the wake of the Getty Fire.
The Los Angeles Fire Department shared the ring’s extraordinary history in a Facebook post on Monday, explaining that officers with Engine 89 were working the scene of the blaze on Wednesday.
Getty destroyed several homes in the area last week, a handful of which were houses that had already once been destroyed and rebuilt in the Bel Air Fire of 1961.
As LAFD officers worked, they discovered a small ring box sitting out front of the only home in that one specific section of the street that had been destroyed.
The box, which was found on its own, contained a diamond ring that was sitting pretty on a plush, velvet cushion.
Aware that it likely held sentimental value for someone, the officers worked on getting the ring back to its owner — and eventually found not only her, but an incredible story.
“That ring belonged to [the owner’s] mother….who lived in the home when it was destroyed in 1961 and this ring — it was the only thing that survived,” the LAFD wrote. “Her mother was with her in the home when they had to evacuate last week. And now, the ring is again the survivor…finding its way to a spot where firefighters ‘rescued’ it.”
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The LAFD said the resident of the house was “speechless and beyond happy to have the ring back.”
“Among the stories of heartbreak and devastation, these moments lighten our hearts,” the cops wrote. “We hope this beloved family heirloom continues to bring joy and smiles to its family.”
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Getty broke out on Oct. 28 and burned through 745 acres, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
All evacuation orders have been lifted, and while no civilians were injured, the blaze did torch 10 homes and damage 15, the department said. Five firefighters also suffered non-life threatening injuries.
The LAFD said the fire was determined to have started accidentally after a broken tree branch fell on a nearby powerline during high wind conditions. That branch sparked the powerline and ignited nearby brush.
