A Tennessee police officer is being praised for his bravery after rushing into a home engulfed in flames earlier this month to rescue a mother and her two children.
The Chattanooga Police Department said Officer Rogers arrived at the scene on May 1, reaching the house before firefighters.
The Department stated that when Rogers arrived, he encountered a two-story structure with flames visible on the front door and the exterior and interior walls of a second-floor home. The fire was already extending into the attic space above.
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After neighbors informed Rogers that people were still inside, he “jumped into action” to rescue a woman and two children. He then returned with a fire extinguisher to suppress the flames on the front porch.
“Luckily, no injuries were reported,” the department said in a Facebook post featuring bodycam footage. The department noted that while its officers are not trained in firefighting, they are “proud to have exemplary officers like [Rogers]” and thanked him for his dedication to the community.
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According to WTVC, Rogers carried 4-year-old Marlowe to safety while her mother, Rachel Blaylock, followed with her 10-year-old son, Charles.
“I keep thinking back: ‘How was I going to get two kids down the stairs?'” Blaylock told WTVC. “He just grabs [Marlowe], and he was willing to go back in. I was trying to tell him that no one else was there, but he was already going back up.”
The Chattanooga Fire Department confirmed the blaze was knocked down within 20 minutes and that the Red Cross is now assisting the residents. An online fundraiser noted that the Blaylock home was destroyed and the family lost all of their belongings.
