When a dump truck driver saw a man about to jump from the second-floor of a burning building in Willimantic Tuesday, he knew exactly what to do.
Guided by police, Peter Dameron backed up the uncovered trailer full of construction debris to the side of the building and let the fire victim jump in.
The man was airlifted to a Rhode Island hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and burns to his arms and hands, Fire Chief Marc Scrivener said. Police drove two others to the hospital themselves after making at least one other rescue at the downtown building in the moments before firefighters pulled up.
“We’re so grateful for their help,” Scrivener said.
Firefighters were called to 1161-1163 Main St. shortly before 9 a.m., he said.
“Two detectives were driving by and they saw the fire,” Scrivener said. "They ran to the top floor, kicked open a door and grabbed at least one person."
More police began arriving, and they saw a person threatening to jump from a second-story window.
Up drove Dameron, 52, a public works employee and longtime volunteer firefighter in Griswold. He asked how he could help, he said.
“They were looking for a ladder,” Dameron said. “Downtown Willimantic, I don’t think people leave ladders hanging around.”
He asked if he could back up the giant trailer for the victim to step into, and they said yes.
Dameron estimated the victim jumped 3 to 4 feet. The man was conscious and able to speak, he said. Retired Willimantic Fire Capt. Nicholas Lucas arrived at the scene at the same time as firefighters and took a picture of Dameron with police and firefighters as they cared for the man in the back of the trailer.
The three-story building, which houses a hair salon and spa on the first floor and apartments on the second and third, are now unlivable, Scrivener said. There’s fire damage on the second floor, water damage on the first and smoke damage on the third.
As for Dameron, who was on his way to Willimantic Waste at the time of the fire, it was “just another day.”
“I’ve been a firefighter since I was 18 years old,” he said. “It’s something you do.”
“I’m just glad that he was OK.”
Christine Dempsey may be reached at [email protected].
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