Oak Park Officer Rushes into Burning Home to Rescue Man in Wheelchair

(Crystal A. Proxmire, May 29, 2020)

Oak Park, MI –  On Thursday, May 28th at approximately 6:55PM,  Public Safety responded to the 10000 block of Troy Street on the report of a kitchen fire. Public Safety Director Steve Cooper told Oakland County Times that the caller, who depends on the use of a wheelchair, was trapped inside the home.

Officer Erik Sanders, a 23 year veteran of the Oak Park Public Safety Department, was one of the first arriving Officers on scene.  Officer Sanders exited his patrol vehicle and immediately rushed into the residence rescuing the male victim from the burning home.  The fire was immediately extinguished by additional responding officers who also responded to the scene.  The resident had the oven set to self clean when the fire occurred.  All indicators point towards the fire being accidental.

A neighbor, April Davis, posted about the rescue on Facebook.  “I just watched an Oak Park officer haul ass on foot down the block, after screeching to a halt in front of my house, then rush into a blazing house across the street to rescue a man in a wheelchair.

“My heart is overflowing.
“The man is safe because of that officer’s heroic actions. The fire department showed up shortly after, and they got the blaze under control, eventually put it out. I spoke to the officer, briefly, when he was putting all his gear back on by his vehicle, told him I saw him book it and thanked him. He chuckled and said, “I’m a little too old to be bookin’ it, but you know.”