Dimas Pinzon was called a hero this summer after he lept onto the tracks (note: not recommended) in order to save a man who had slipped off the platform at the Virginia Square-GMU Metrorail station as a train was oncoming. ARLnow.com managed to obtain the surveillance video of what happened -- and its a wild piece of footage. more ›

Do read this rather amazing account of how D.C. resident Kevin McDonnell pulled a man from a burning car near the National Cathedral on Sunday, courtesy WaPo reporter Matt Zapotosky.

He broke down the trees blocking the man’s door, then pulled him bodily from the car. Flames and smoke hampered his efforts; at one point, McDonnell’s own jacket caught on fire. more ›

We reported this morning that a woman fell on the tracks on the Red Line to Glenmont at the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station around 9:30 a.m. DCist has now learned that the woman narrowly avoided being struck by an oncoming train -- largely due to the quick thinking of Houston Transit Authority employee Eliot Swainson, 46, who was in D.C. serving as a volunteer for Metro. Swainson, who was stationed on the Glenmont platform at the Chinatown stop this morning, was able to direct the woman to safety on the track while a train passed overhead, preventing her from being struck and allowing her to be extricated safely a short time later. more ›

Ezra Klein reports, via the Internet Food Association, that last night, Tom Colicchio (he of Top Chef and craftsteak) swooped to the rescue of cookbook author Joan Nathan, performing the Heimlich Maneuver at a much-needed moment. The big save happened at a benefit for D.C. Central Kitchen and Martha's Table, where luminaries of the food world milled about and showed off their skills. Colicchio was modest, Klein reports. "“I just happened to be nearby,” he shrugged. Nathan was more effusive, “He’s so strong!”" I'll try and swallow back my envy of Ezra for being at this event at all (and on the heels of being terribly jealous of Jamie R. Liu's chat with Anthony Bourdain) and just say, good on ya, Tom. more ›