Millvale police Chief Tim Komoroski lauded the efforts by Officer Joe Spalick, a rookie officer who graduated from the Police Academy in August 2020 and joined the department the following month.
Officers Rudy Castillo and Joel Kaminsky are seen in the video running toward the SUV as flames were engulfing it. The 55-year-old man inside is believed to have had a medical issue that caused him to swerve off the road crash.
Officer Blake Puckett realized 18-year-old Laurel Putnam strapped in her seatbelt and unconscious.
Fayetteville police said the car left the roadway and crashed into a tree, bursting into flames. An off-duty officer called 911.
Deputies Elijah Roman and Aaron Derycke were patrolling separately early Sunday morning when they heard the call about the fire just before 5 a.m. at the mobile home park.
Outside of the building, Officers Leang Chhor and Joshua Delisle saw a woman holding a baby in a second-floor window. They told her to drop the baby to them, which she did, and were able to catch the baby safely.
Body camera footage captured the moments officers worked to get the passengers out of the burning car, local firefighters still en route. In the video, the officers can be heard deliberating the different ways to rescue the passengers and getting the fire somewhat under control.
Seconds later, highway patrol dash camera video shows Trooper Hiram Morales run to the side door asking, “Anyone in the house? Anyone in the house?”
According to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, deputies called to the scene briefly spoke with someone through the door of room 112, but the person stopped responding. With the help of the property manager, they got the door open and found the room was filled with smoke.
An off-duty North Reading, MA, police officer is being credited with saving lives from a house fire.