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Caught on camera: Conyers woman rescued by officer from fire
A Conyers woman says police officer saved her from a fire. Bodycam video shows one officer breaking a window and running into thick black smoke to rescue her.
CONYERS, Ga. - A Conyers woman is recovering after quick action from police officers saved her from a fire.
Bodycam footage shows one officer breaking a window and going into the thick black smoke to save the woman.
"Probably wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it needed to be done. I would do it again in a heartbeat," Officer William Smith said.
Conyers police officers William Smith and Andre Samuels were two of the first to arrive at the home filled with smoke.
"Eventually, when we got there we started kicking in the door, and we got the door kicked in. When we tried to make entry there was too much smoke in the house, so we backed out," Officer Andre Samuels said.
Then first responders heard someone banging on the windows to get out.
Smith’s body camera footage captured the moments he broke the glass and worked his way inside.
"By the time we broke the window, we could hear the resident inside, but they had inhaled too much smoke in order for them to come to us," Smith said.
At times, the smoke was so thick the officers could be heard coughing and gasping for air.
That didn’t stop them from going inside.
Through the smoke the woman was pulled to safety.
"We come here, we serve and protect. The object is to go home to our families. That lady had a family and our objective was for her to go home to her family as well," Samuels said.
"Somebody’s inside that house, and you hear them screaming for help. Not one officer in this department would have done something different," Smith said.
Before coming to Conyers, Officer Samuels worked with the fire and police departments in New Jersey.
Neighbors say the older woman rescued was in the hospital, but is expected to recover.