Macomb County Sheriff’s deputies are being hailed as heroes after their brave rescue of a 74-year-old man from a house fire in Macomb Township, Michigan. The incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and the quick actions of Deputies Zachary Deng, Jonathon Korte, and Thomas Bartoli saved the man’s life.
According to the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, the deputies responded to a fire call at approximately 1:24 a.m. on January 10, 2024. Upon their arrival, Deputy Deng, who was the first on the scene, noticed flames through the closed front door window and immediately rushed to enter the burning home.
In a remarkable display of bravery, Deputy Deng kicked the door open and discovered the elderly man sitting in a chair, engulfed in flames. He also noticed a woman inside the home and instructed her to evacuate immediately. Despite his efforts to smother the fire with a blanket, Deputy Deng was unsuccessful.
Fortunately, Deputies Korte and Bartoli arrived with fire extinguishers and joined forces to combat the flames. However, due to the thick black smoke, Deputy Deng was forced to exit the house temporarily to catch his breath. Deputy Korte took over, using another extinguisher to sweep the chair and flames until they were extinguished, while another deputy rescued the family dog from the home.
Macomb Fire arrived at the scene, and Deputy Bartoli successfully put out the remaining flames. It was determined that the fire had started when the victim fell asleep while smoking, igniting a blanket.
The man was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment and is currently in stable condition. The woman was also hospitalized but has since been released.
Macomb County Sheriff Anthony Wickersham praised the heroic efforts of the deputies, stating, “I sincerely commend the valiant efforts of these Deputies in this life-threatening situation. They acted swiftly and selflessly, preventing an even greater tragedy from occurring.”
The U.S. Fire Administration advises smokers to take precautions to prevent fires, including smoking outside and properly extinguishing cigarettes. They also emphasize the importance of not smoking in bed, as mattresses and bedding can easily catch fire.
This remarkable rescue serves as a reminder of the bravery and dedication exhibited by law enforcement officers, who put their lives on the line to protect and serve their communities.
