On Thursday December 19, 2013 at approximately 12:53pm, the Manville Police Department was dispatched to May Place on the report of a structure fire with a possible entrapment. Lieutenant Thomas Herbst, Acting Sergeant Craig Jeremiah, Officer Michael Peterson, and Officer Christopher Morrison subsequently responded and arrived on location. They observed the residence to have black bellowing smoke coming from it. The officers then attempted to gain entry through the front entrance of the dwelling but were unsuccessful. They then responded to a side entrance and were successful in gaining entry. The residence was smoke filled and an active fire was located in the rear of the dwelling. Upon initial entry the officers could not observe or locate anyone in the residence due to the heavy smoke condition. Windows were then broken out which lead to the clearing of some of the interior smoke. The officers then located in the front portion of the residence an unconscious male victim, age 87. He was carried from the residence by the officers and subsequently Medevaced to St. Barnabas Hospital for treatment. The four officers were also treated for smoke inhalation.
Instead of exiting the residence upon encountering the initial wall of black smoke, the officers pressed ahead and ultimately recovered the unconscious victim who would have surely perished if not for their efforts.
|