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Faribault officers rescue 5 from dramatic house fire captured on body cameras
Two Faribault police officers had to put their lives on the line last month to rescue five people trapped on the roof of a home engulfed in fire. The fire and dramatic rescue were captured on a Faribault Police Department officer’s body camera. FOX 9's Soyoung Kim has the story.
FARIBAULT, Minn. (FOX 9) - Two Faribault police officers had to put their lives on the line last month to rescue five people trapped on the roof of a home engulfed in fire.
The fire and dramatic rescue were captured on a Faribault Police Department officer’s body camera.
Faribault house fire rescue
The backstory:
Faribault police and fire responded to the blaze on the morning of Feb. 18. When authorities arrived, the home was engulfed in flames and the residents were trapped on the roof.
Authorities say officers Nick Smith and Angel Perez worked together and found a way to get all five to safety. The house was a total loss.
The firefight
What we know:
Firefighters cleared the scene after more than three hours battling the blaze. The Faribault Fire Department says the State Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted and documented the fire.
At this time, the fire is considered accidental and unintentional. Authorities say a resident reported discarding a cigarette outside an hour prior to the fire and say that matches evidence of the fire origin.
Officer training helps in rescue
Why you should care:
Faribault police say Smith is a former commercial realtor who completed the Intensive Comprehensive Peace Officer Education and Training program last year, which gave him the path to become a law enforcement officer quicker.
Officer Perez is also new to the department, coming from the U.S. Army National Guard. He previously served as a Community Service Officer for Faribault before obtaining his peace officer license and is currently completing his field-training program.
Police say due to their training, they were able to act quickly and save lives.
"Our law enforcement officers don’t want to be recognized as heroes. They feel this is their job. It’s really awesome we can highlight their work, and we couldn’t be more proud of our officers," said Faribault Police Captain Brandon Gliem. "It’s very important for people to realize that we do have heroes on the street. They are there to help you. We have 35 men and women that serve with all of their compassion and heart for the community and trying to help."