Recently, a residential fire broke out in New Jersey, United States, but thanks to the swift response of a local police officer who rushed to the scene after receiving the alert, a tragedy was averted.
On June 16, the Evesham Township Police Department and the fire department in New Jersey’s Evesham Township received a distress call about a fire at a residence in the 1800 block of Sagemore Drive. They reacted promptly, and around 4 p.m., Officer Kevin Long was the first to arrive at the scene.
Upon arrival, Officer Long was met with thick, acrid smoke engulfing the entire building, signaling a dire situation. Captured on his body camera was a heart-stopping rescue mission.
In the video footage, he can be seen running towards the burning house while notifying his team through the radio, “Thick smoke inside, smoke everywhere.”
Upon reaching the entrance, he rushed through an open door, shouting, “Hey, are you guys okay, are you okay?!”
The smoke alarms inside the house could be heard continuously alarming in the background. Ignoring his own safety, Kevin bravely plunged into the thick smoke, first encountering an elderly woman, urging her to “get out.” Realizing there was an elderly man inside the house as well, he urgently shouted, “Sir, where are you?!”
Despite the smoke clouding his vision, he fearlessly navigated through the deadly black smoke and soon found an elderly man seated in a chair. “I can’t walk,” the man told him.
With time ticking, Kevin realized he couldn’t directly move the elderly man out as a heavy motorized wheelchair was blocking the hallway. After struggling to maneuver the wheelchair out, he returned and successfully pulled the trapped elderly man through the front door.
Throughout the rescue operation, coughs of people and Kevin’s shouts echoed in the chaotic scene. After the rescue, Kevin was exhausted and collapsed on the grass, coughing incessantly.
In recognition of his courageous and selfless actions during the rescue operation, Kevin Long was publicly honored by the police department on June 24. The Evesham Township Police Department posted on their Facebook page, “Officer Kevin Long, without hesitation, rushed into the house under extremely dangerous conditions and successfully rescued the trapped residents in nearly zero visibility.”
The department stated that the two rescued residents were rushed to a local hospital, where examinations confirmed no life-threatening injuries. Though Kevin suffered from smoke inhalation, he was promptly treated and discharged without major complications.
The authorities mentioned that the Evesham Fire Rescue Team 2235 responded immediately to the distress call, arriving at the scene within 6 minutes and rapidly contained the fire in the kitchen, preventing damage to the neighboring five residences.
“The collaborative efforts of the Evesham Township Police Department and the fire department demonstrate their steadfast commitment to public safety and the well-being of the Evesham community,” the Evesham Township Police Department stated. “Their brave response and swift actions in the face of danger saved lives and minimized losses, embodying the highest standards of public service.”
The department added that the local fire department and police department are currently investigating the cause of the fire incident.