Los Angeles-area bookstore turns maternity ward as firefighters deliver baby boy

TORRANCE, Calif. – A woman walked into a Los Angeles-area Barnes & Noble looking for books and came out with a baby instead.

Firefighters delivered the newborn Friday night in the bookstore’s lobby at Del Amo Fashion Center, Torrance Fire Department Capt. Steve Deuel said.

The firefighters had responded to a call of a woman in labour and were deciding whether to put her in an ambulance or keep her in the store when they realized the infant was coming.

“The baby made that decision for them,” Deuel said. “They went ahead and delivered a healthy baby boy.”

The mother and child, whose names were not released, were taken to a hospital and both were doing well, Deuel said.

It’s increasingly rare that mothers don’t make it to the hospital and firefighters have to assist in the delivery, but they’re trained to do it if they must.

“Occasionally, nature writes the script not us,” Deuel said. “This was a good Friday night for all of us.