An off-duty Indianapolis fire captain who spotted a house fire in Johnson County rescued a woman from the second floor.
Capt. Mark Baranko was advised by the victim's husband that she was still inside and pointed to her location, according to a statement from the Indianapolis Fire Department.
"Heavy toxic black smoke blanketed the entire upstairs leaving only 6 inches of visibility and barely breathable air at floor level. Mark was forced to the floor to conduct his search. Within a minute, he located the unconscious woman in the doorway of a rear bedroom. Mark picked her up, carried her out the front door and once outside and established an airway..."
He was not injured in the rescue.
Indianapolis Fire Chief Ernest Malone said: "I am proud of the heroic efforts by Captain Baranko this morning. It is not every day that you are faced with a choice to risk your own life to save another and when faced with that choice today...Mark is a consummate professional who excels in his duties as an officer, a leader and instructor. We are proud to have him as a member of our firefighting family. Our thoughts are with all those affected by today's fire and hope that the woman makes a full recovery."
White River Township Fire Chief Jeremy Pell alerted Indianapolis fire officials about the rescue.
