'Chicago Fire' actor helps real firefighters save tourists

'Chicago Fire' star Jesse Spencer is used to playing the hero, but he became one in real life - or at least gave the real guys an assist - when he helped firefighters save tourists in a trapped elevator at the Illinois State Capitol Sunday.

Spencer was with his parents and a group of 30 others when they got stuck in an elevator for nearly 45 minutes. Some of Spencer's fellow passenger recognized him from the show, but others thought he was a real firefighter. He was, after all, wearing a baseball cap with a firefighter emblem on it.

Spencer decided to use his on-set skills to good use by keeping everybody calm and prying open the doors so that some air could flow in. The crack in the door also allowed him to regain service so he could call 911.

'Admin wouldn't call the fire department, they wanted to call the elevator mechanic, but we didn't know how long he was going to be and people were starting to freak out, so I managed to get the doors open.'

The Springfield fire captain says Spencer did everything right.