PLYMOUTH TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Police officers rushed into a burning home to rescue two elderly residents from a fire at a condo in Plymouth Township.
Plymouth Township police officers responded to reports of a fire with two people trapped inside the condo at 1:02 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024, in the 40350 block of Newport Drive.
According to Plymouth Township police chief James H. Knittel Jr., when officers arrived they saw a large amount of smoking coming from inside the home and quickly confirmed that people were trapped inside.
Officers forced their way through the front door where they found a man bleeding from the face and arm. Officers entered the home and made sure the man got out safely. When officers learned the man’s wife was still inside the home, they went back inside and rescued her.
Knittel said that officers were able to rescue both residents in less than five minutes after arriving at the scene of the fire.
“I am incredibly proud of our officers. They risked their own safety to enter a burning and smoke-filled home, where they removed two trapped elderly citizens. These heroic actions exemplify the bravery of our officers, and ultimately saved the lives of two senior citizens who reside in this community,”
Both residents were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. The police officers were treated on scene by fire department personnel for smoke inhalation.
Plymouth Township police Chief James Knittel describes saving elderly couple from house fire