Police officers rescue woman trapped by fire
By WECT Staff | February 9, 2021 at 4:03 PM EST – Updated February 9 at 7:13 PM
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – The quick action of officers with the Wilmington Police Department who were first on the scene of a fire at 1011 S. Lincoln Ct. Monday night saved a woman’s life before the fire department arrived.
WPD Officer Kyle Petrone and Officer Bradley Speight arrived at the scene of the fire around 8:20 p.m. and, with the help of a citizen, attempted to break down the steel door and broke several windows to let smoke out.
When the door eventually buckled and the officers were able to gain access, they located a 39-year-old female who had severe burns and was lying on the floor unresponsive.
Despite heavy smoke, they were able to pull the victim out of the house and she was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. The victim is currently being treated at the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center and is in a serious condition.
“This is another example of our officers going above and beyond the line of duty,” said Chief Donny Williams. “The easy thing to do would have been to stand back and wait for the fire department to arrive, but these men put their own safety at risk to save someone else’s life, and they didn’t hesitate for a second. They didn’t stop to think about that person’s race, gender, economic status — it didn’t matter. They took action, and I’ve seen that happen several times over the last few months.”
Petrone and the citizen who helped were transported to the hospital; Petrone was treated for smoke inhalation and the citizen was treated for minor injuries.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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