Three Michigan sheriff's deputies were praised for their “heroic” rescue of a 74-year-old man from a fire early Wednesday morning.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Macomb County Sheriff's Deputies Zachary Deng, Jonathon Korte, and Thomas Bartoli responded to a fire call at approximately 1:24 a.m. on January 10, 2024.
Officials say deputies, Macomb Township Fire and EMS were dispatched to a residence in the 46400 block of Leanna Drive in Macomb Township.
Deputy Deng was the first to arrive on the scene. He saw flames coming from the closed front window and rushed into the house.
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Macomb County sheriff's deputies rescued a 74-year-old man from a house fire early Wednesday morning, authorities said. (Macomb County Sheriff)
Video released by the Macomb County Sheriff's Office shows Deng approaching the front door and kicking it several times.
When the deputy kicked the door open, he saw a man sitting in a chair engulfed in flames. He also said he found a woman inside the house and instructed her to leave immediately.
The sheriff's office said Deng tried unsuccessfully to put out the fire with a blanket.
Deputies Corte and Bartoli then arrived at the smoke-filled house with fire extinguishers. Deputies worked together to extinguish the fire. Police said Deng Xiaoping was forced to leave the house because he had difficulty breathing due to the thick black smoke.
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Deputy Zachary Deng was the first to arrive on the scene and kicked in the front door after seeing flames coming from a window. (Macomb County Sheriff)
Korte took over another fire extinguisher and swept the chairs and flames until they were empty. Another deputy took his dog, Keeva, out of the house. Once the Macomb Fire reached the home, Bartoli used a fire extinguisher to extinguish the remaining flames.
It is believed that the fire started after the victim fell asleep while smoking and ignited the blanket. FOX 2 Detroit reported.
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While officers worked to extinguish the fire, another officer rescued the dog, Keeva, from the home. (Macomb County Sheriff)
The man was taken to an area hospital for treatment and is currently in stable condition, according to the Macomb County Sheriff's Office. The woman was also taken to the hospital and has since been released.
The lawmakers were hailed as heroes.
Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham said, “I wholeheartedly commend our deputies for their heroic efforts during this life-threatening situation.” “They acted quickly and selflessly to prevent further tragedy from occurring.”
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The U.S. Fire Administration advises smokers to take several steps to protect themselves and their families from fires.
Officials say smokers should smoke outdoors, noting that contact with hot objects such as cigarettes or ash can ignite items inside the home. If you smoke, please extinguish your cigarette completely each time. People who are taking drugs that cause fatigue should also refrain from smoking, and should never smoke in bed, where the mattress or bedding can easily catch fire.
