Two Roanoke Rapids police officers are being credited for helping a man get safely out of a house Wednesday night following a fire in the 900 block of Henry Street.
Fire Chief Jason Patrick said it was initially reported a child might have been in the house at 922 Henry Street, however firefighters learned there was an adult inside who got out “thanks to the quick work of two police officers,” he said in a statement.
The officers were identified as I. Nielsen and C. Cook, who located the man and assisted him out of a rear window.
“It is my understanding that the quick actions of Corporal Neilsen and Officer Cook led to the individual in the home being able to escape relatively unharmed,” police Chief Lawrence Wiggins said. “And it's also my understanding that should he have attempted to leave going through the house, he more than likely would have perished in the fire. It’s the quick action of these two officers that potentially saved this person’s life.”
Firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 11:30 p.m., Patrick said, and when they arrived they observed heavy fire coming from the kitchen area and extending up the side of the two-story home.
Firefighters quickly located the fire in the kitchen and extinguished it while a second crew was conducting a search of the home to make sure all occupants were out and safe.
The kitchen and adjacent room sustained most of the fire damage while the rest of the home received smoke and heat damage.
Patrick said the quick response by on-duty firefighters, which consisted of eight A-shift personnel, was instrumental in containing the flames and stopping the spread throughout the rest of the home and to the attic.
The American Red Cross was called in to assist the family and fire crews remained on scene for roughly two hours conducting overhaul operations.
The fire appeared to have started from an unattended pot on the stove.
Along with the eight on-duty Roanoke Rapids firefighters, seven off-duty personnel were called in to assist.
Also assisting the fire department were Halifax County EMS, Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad, and the police department.
“Special thanks to officers Nielsen and Cook for locating the occupant that was still inside the home and assisting him out of a window to safety before units arrived,” Patrick said.
