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Sergeant Alex Wood of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office rescued an elderly man from a burning home Wednesday night after crawling through heavy smoke to find him lying on the floor inside.
The fire was reported at approximately 9:25 p.m. on October 8 in the 100 block of Haywood Drive in Roanoke Rapids. According to the Sheriff’s Office, a 911 caller reported that an elderly family member was still inside the residence and had not escaped.
When Wood arrived, the residence was actively burning and a woman at the scene told him her father was still inside.
Wood went to the front door but found it locked. He kicked the door open and entered the residence, where heavy smoke quickly reduced visibility.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, Wood got down on the floor and began crawling through the home while calling out for the man. The man responded, allowing Wood to locate him approximately 20 feet inside the residence, lying on the floor in the smoke-filled home.
Wood began pulling the man toward the front door. As they reached the front porch, Lt. E. Richardson arrived and assisted Wood in getting the man to safety.
The man was transported to a local medical facility, where the Sheriff’s Office said he remained in stable condition. Wood was treated by EMS at the scene and released.
Sheriff Tyree Davis commended Wood for his actions and also recognized Richardson for his assistance during the rescue.
