Store Greeter Says He Was Fired After Helping Put Out Parking Lot Fire

A Mich. man says he was fired from his job at a Meijer store last month after he rushed to help put out an automobile fire in the store's parking lot.

David Bowers told Up North Live that he was suspended and then terminated following an incident in which he rushed with a fire extinguisher to put out a vehicle engulfed in flames.

"When the guy came in and said his dashboard was on fire I grabbed the fire extinguisher and I followed him outside and sure enough his dashboard was on fire," Bowers told Up North Live.

David Bowers says he was fired from his job after he put out a parking lot fire. (Image source: Screen grab via Up North Live)

But, the former Meijer greeter says he was later reprimanded for knowingly violating company policy.

"The one supervisor told me that my heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn't," Bowers said.

[sharequote align="center"]"The one supervisor told me that my heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn't."[/sharequote]

Meijer declined to comment on the specific matter to Up North Live, but released a statement addressing the issue in general.

"The safety of our customers and team members is a top priority at Meijer. We have a very specific protocol in place for our team members to follow when emergencies occur and we can't allow any deviation from the policy that could put our customers or team members at risk," Meijer's statement said.

Nevertheless, the man that Bowers helped is thankful for his actions and perplexed as to why the store fired him.

"My truck would've been completely burned that fire was going," Ken Kuzon said. "I just think it's ridiculous. Why should you be penalized for being a good samaritan."

"I thought that was what we were supposed to do, you know you have somebody that is in need, don't you help them, but I guess not," Kuzon added.

According to his wife, Bowers had worked at Meijer for over 4 years, the Detroit Free Press reported.

“He’s very bummed out,” she said. “It’s a split-second decision you make. He was never told there was a procedure for a car fire.”

(H/T: Detroit Free Press)

This story has been updated to reflect that the incident took place in Mich. and not Colo.

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