Illinois police officers and a bystander jumped into action when a firefighter became trapped beneath the rubble of a house fire on April 3, stunning bodycam footage reveals.
Authorities in Christopher responded to the fire just after 8 a.m. Thursday when the house, which was already engulfed in flames from the inside, suddenly exploded, bringing the porch roof down onto a firefighter.
“Come on! Let’s get him out!” one first responder can be heard saying in dramatic, police-worn body camera footage of the rescue.
Officials can be seen running toward plumes of smoke after the partial building collapsed to rescue the firefighter.
“Get him out! Get him out!” the first responder yells as officials and a shirtless bystander work together to lift the collapsed porch roof and pull the firefighter from the rubble.
“We are thankful for all of our firefighters and first responders!” the Christopher Police Department said in a statement posted to Facebook along with video footage of the rescue. “They have a very dangerous job, and today highlighted the dangers they face all too often. We are grateful that no one sustained major injuries.”
The department added that its “thoughts and prayers are with the Christopher firefighter for a fast and speedy recovery, and also with the family that lost their home during this tragedy.”
The firefighter sustained minor injuries, according to FOX 8 Cleveland.
