FRANKLINTON, La. — It's not something Franklinton Police Chief Justin Brown says his officers typically train for.
"I can't think of a police officer alive that wouldn't go inside that house and try to save those people," Brown said.
When a fire broke out Tuesday night at Fairground Apartments on Parker Street, with a woman and possibly two children inside, Brown says two police officers, Sergeant William Manning and Lieutenant James Holmes, jumped into action with no rescue gear.
"The officers kick the door open and once they do the smoke billows out so they have to get down on their hands and knees," Brown said.
Crawling into the living room, those officers find a woman on the floor.
"The victim that was inside was actually on fire at the time. They said that her clothes were on fire as they were pulling her out of the house," Brown said.
Firefighter Chad Manning, the father of Sergeant Manning, soon arrived. In the meantime, Brown says a civilian went inside the apartment, looking for anyone else. Brown says that man was also rescued after being overcome by smoke. As far as the possibility of kids inside, they weren't there.
"The grandmother had picked them up earlier yesterday and had taken them to the parade in New Orleans," said Sherry Ruston, who’s company manages the property.
Ruston say she's thankful no one was killed.
"I was worried too death that anybody was hurt, and they told me that a tenant had been taken to the hospital with burns," Ruston said.
How close those officers were to the apartment when the call came in played a big role in this rescue. That’s because the police department is just across the street. Brown says officers where at the apartment door in less than 30 seconds.
"The female on the inside was semi-conscious. I believe had she stayed there much longer then the smoke would have finally overtaken her, and a different scenario would have played out," Brown said.
Brown says those officers used fire extinguishers from their patrol cars to put out the flames. The fire department handled the rest.
"We're very fortunate to have them right here, but they've done really a lot of us in the community," Ruston said.
The woman who was burned was airlifted to University Hospital in New Orleans and is expected to survive. The state fire marshal's office is now trying to figure out what caused the fire. Both police officers are being submitted for national bravery and life saving awards.
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