Halifax County Sheriff’s Sergeant Alex Wood entered a burning Roanoke Rapids home and followed a trapped man’s voice through thick smoke before pulling him to safety Thursday night.
ROANOKE RAPIDS, NC — A Halifax County sheriff’s deputy risked his life Thursday night to rescue an elderly man trapped inside a burning home, kicking down a locked door and crawling through thick smoke until he located the victim lying on the floor.
Sergeant Alex Wood responded to the residential fire in the 100 block of Haywood Drive around 9:25 p.m. on October 8 after a neighbor called 911 to report that someone was trapped inside.
When Wood arrived, the residence was engulfed in flames. A distraught woman at the scene was screaming that her father remained inside the burning house.
Wood notified responding fire personnel that someone was trapped, then rushed toward the home.
Deputy kicks open door and enters smoke-filled house
Finding the front door locked, Wood kicked it open and entered the burning residence.
The smoke was so thick that he was immediately overwhelmed and forced to drop to the floor.
Unable to see through the smoke, Wood began crawling through the house while repeatedly calling out for the missing man.
The victim eventually answered.
Following the sound of his voice, Wood crawled approximately 20 feet into the residence, where he located the elderly man lying on the floor.
Wood grabbed the man and began pulling him toward the exit as the fire continued burning around them.
Second officer helps bring man to safety
As Wood reached the front porch with the victim, Halifax County Sheriff’s Lieutenant E. Richardson arrived and assisted in bringing the man completely out of the burning home.
The elderly man was transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
According to the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the victim was reported to be in stable condition following the rescue.
Wood was evaluated and treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene before being released.
Authorities did not disclose the victim’s identity or the extent of the damage to the residence.
Sheriff praises deputy’s bravery
Halifax County Sheriff Tyree Davis commended Wood for his quick thinking and willingness to place himself in danger to rescue someone he had never met.
The sheriff also recognized Richardson for assisting in getting the victim out of the home.
The rescue required Wood to enter a burning structure with extremely limited visibility, locate the victim by sound and physically move him to safety.
The cause of the fire was not disclosed in the sheriff’s initial account.
What began as a desperate call for help ended with the elderly resident safely outside the burning house, thanks to the actions of the two deputies.