Bodycam video shows Hatboro officers rescuing 97-year-old man from burning home
By: Dramatic body cam video captured the moments police officers raced to rescue an elderly man from a burning house in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
The fire broke out around 3:30 a.m. on the 100 block of Fairview Avenue in Hatboro.
Ferocious flames engulfed the home as a 97-year-old man was asleep on the second floor.
Sgt. Aaron Simon and Officer Robert McMahon broke down a back door to rescue the man who was crying for help in the upstairs bedroom.
"I can't breathe," the man can be heard saying.
"Once we heard that voice, and my partner made that extra leap to make that move and grabbed him, we both worked together," McMahon said.
The officers had to go up and down the stairs trying to get fresh air on the first floor.
"Entering the house wasn't as bad. As you progressed through it, it definitely got heavy. We could see it through our lights, definitely smell it, definitely feel it," recalled Simon.
Eventually, they were able to see the 97-year-old man battling through the smoke.
"Come on sir, crawl, get low and crawl," said one officer before carrying the man out of the house to safety.
Hatboro's police chief says the two officers saved the man's life.
"This isn't something obviously we do a lot, so they had to kind of go on the fly and make the best decisions that they thought were appropriate for the time, and it looks like they did a truly outstanding job and absolutely saved a life," said Chief James Gardner.
If you ask either Simon or McMahon, they'll tell you they were just doing their job.
"It's nice to know that this guy gets to spend another day with his family, especially another Thanksgiving, instead of it being a time to mourn every year. Now they can celebrate that and remember that. Definitely something I'll hold with me," said Simon.
The resident is a longtime Hatboro resident. Police say he was transported to an area hospital to be evaluated.
The officers were not injured.