Turtle rescued by Sacramento firefighters from abandoned structure fire in Discovery Park

A turtle was rescued by Sacramento firefighters who were dispatched Thursday to douse flames that ripped through an abandoned structure at the east end of Discovery Park.

Heavy smoke shrouded the home on the 1000 block of Garden Highway after the fire broke out about 8:30 a.m. The boarded-up building featured “signs” of human life but no people were found inside, said Capt. Justin Sylvia, a spokesman for the Sacramento Fire Department.

But the reptile was spotted in danger and pulled out by crews. Spooked but alive — the turtle did urinate on the firefighter who carried him to safety — the turtle was checked out and released into the wild along the American River.

The target of the turtle’s apparent affections managed to dodge most of the stream, Sylvia said.

“He’ll be alright,” Sylvia said of the firefighter with a laugh.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.