By Police1 Staff
OMAHA, Neb. — Five people were rescued from a burning home by a driver and two Omaha officers.
The fire was reported on Dec. 21 and quickly got out of control, WOWT reported.
A nearby driver, Shelby Pickens, noticed the house filling with flames and ran into the house. She found five people inside.
“The smoke was basically chasing them out and they said they had a female, a couple of guys and an individual in a wheelchair,” Pickens told WOWT.
Officers were at a nearby supermarket when they saw the fire and jumped into action. They had rescued two residents when they heard more screaming. Officers ran back inside to remove three more people. All of the home’s residents were physically disabled and require assistance.
“I told them about my handicapped boy, that he was in a wheelchair and so they went and brought him out,” resident Robert Damper told the news site.
#BREAKING: This man who is wheelchair bound & has cerebral palsy was rescued by @OmahaPolice #WOWT pic.twitter.com/pdK7O9vzz3
— Lena Tillett (@LenaTillett) December 20, 2015
Omaha Fire Department told WOWT the officers ran into the home without protective gear.
The officers have been identified as nine-year veteran Robbie Goering-Jensen and Anthony Abboud. Goering-Jensen was taken to the local hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation.
“They’ve taken a sworn oath to serve and protect the community and a lot of times when they’re first on location, such as that, you’re going to see efforts to fulfill that requirement,” Chief Gary Rice told WOWT.
Both officers are expected to make a full recovery.