Dramatic video shows officers run into burning building to rescue man

HAMPTON, Ga. — Two Henry County officers are being hailed as heroes after they rescued a man from a burning home.

The fire call went out Thursday night along River View Court in Hampton.

Through an open records request, Channel 2's Tyisha Fernandes obtained body camera video of the rescue.

The video shows the officer and deputy run up to the burning home. They saw the man’s father using a hose to spray water on the flames while yelling, ‘My son is inside.’”

That’s when Officer Alex Maddox and Deputy Justin Benefield jumped into action.

There was so much smoke in the home, the officer and deputy’s first attempt to rescue the victim – didn’t work. They came out, took a deep breath and went back in.

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About 30 percent of the victim's body was burned, but they found a way to drag him out.

Moments later, firefighters and paramedics pulled up to the home.

“I’ve got one with severe burns. We dragged him out the house,” one of the officers told the paramedics on the video. “He’s on the front porch. He’s pretty messed up.”

Police told Fernandes that the power was shut off at the home before the fire and even though the cause is still under investigation, they believe a candle, or some other open source of heat may have started it.

“Somebody is always going to have an oven that’s open, or a space heater, or candles, or something that’s going to get bumped over and cause a fire,” Henry County police Deputy Chief Mike Ireland told Fernandes.

Fernandes asked Ireland how the officer and deputy felt after the rescue. He said they didn't make a big deal out of it and that they're used to running toward dangerous situations and doing what they can to help.

Cox Media Group