A long-time San Gabriel Valley locksmith is providing his services for free to evacuated residents forced to abandon their cars as they escaped the Eaton Fire. Manuel Almanza’s Altadena Lock and Key opened in 1951 in the community that was devastated by the Eaton Fire after it started on the night of Jan. 7. Fanned by a Santa Ana windstorm, flames destroyed homes and businesses, some of which had been part of the community for decades. California Wildfires 21 hours ago ‘Nobody talks about the family at home.' Firefighters' families await their safe return “What it’s been like this past week, having this community you love have this fire? It’s been quiet. Very quiet, very sad,” Almanza said. Some residents had just minutes to escape, so they had to leave cars behind. Almanza saw a way to help. “The cars just left. He left it there and there and there are no houses, so no keys to get back in the car,” Almanza said. “No keys to get back in the car, and it’s a lot of cars, it can be hundreds, thousands of cars.” Almanza is helping drivers get back in their cars free of charge. Walter Butler is one of the car owners who received help from the kind-hearted locksmith. Butler's home burned in the 23,700-acre fire, one of the most destructive on record in California, but his Mustang was still driveable. "He's getting me moving again," Butler said. "I get the car that survived. I get transportation. From no transportation to some, that means a lot." For Almanza, the brighter outlook he unlocks is all part of the job. "I just want to do it," he said. "I wish I could help hundreds. I wish I had 20 trucks to sift through everybody there and do these keys." Almanza said he plans to continue offering the free service for the next few weeks. The typical cost can run up to $500. Some evacuation orders were lifted Thursday in the Eaton Fire. The fire northeast of Los Angeles was 55-percent contained at about 14,100 acres. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.