OH Firefighters Save Toddler from Burning Trailer

UHRICHSVILLE, OH—Firefighters and police rescued a toddler and a man from a burning mobile home on Monday morning.

Police Chief Vince Beal and Patrolman Adam Gunnish were the first to arrive at the scene of the fire at 328 E. High St., which was reported at 8:03 a.m., according to Fire Chief Justin Edwards.

Beal said the man, a paraplegic, was sticking his head from a rear window when police arrived to find the trailer fully engulfed in fire. Beal and Gunnish pulled him out through the window.

"Firefighters entered the residence, started extinguishing the fire, and also searching for another victim," Edwards said. "They located a juvenile in the living room area of the home, removed him."

Edwards said the boy, 1½ years old, was taken by helicopter ambulance to Akron Children's Hospital from Trinity Hospital Twin City. The man was taken to Trinity.

Edwards said the man's injuries were apparently not life-threatening, and that indications were that the boy has a positive prognosis.

Edwards said the rescue was aided by the fact that five firefighters responded when the alarm came in.

Extra staffing was available because the fire occurred close to the 7 a.m. shift change at the fire department. The two-person crew that started its 24-hour shift on Sunday had returned to the firehouse around 7:30 a.m. after completing a 6:30 a.m. ambulance run. Monday's two-person crew was also on duty, as was Edwards.

"No doubt in my mind that that made the outcome of this positive," Edwards said. "Arriving with two (firefighters) would have been different."

Beal said he and Gunnish got to the fire quickly because it was two blocks from the police department. The chief was reading reports in his office when the call came in.

The fire was under control at 8:10 a.m., Edwards said. Firefighters left the scene at 10:30 a.m.

He said the cause of the fire is undetermined but believed to be accidental. It started in the north bedroom area. The State Fire Marshall is assisting in the investigation.

Assisting Uhrichsville safety forces were the New Philadelphia Fire Department, Dennison Fire Department, Arrowhead Joint Fire District and Smith Ambulance.

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