A decision of two firefighters to break through a window and go into a burning home in an attempt to save a local resident resulted in the Town of Tryon presenting them with certificates of commendations.
Tryon Town Council met Tuesday, May 20 and recognized deputy fire chief Johnny Hipp and assistant fire chief James “Tank” Waters for their efforts in attempting to save a man during a house fire on Ford Ridge Lane on April 2.
Tryon Fire Chief Joey Davis asked the audience to close their eyes as he played the communication audio during the structure fire, which occurred around 10:20 p.m.
The audio included the location with emergency crews saying the subject is possibly still inside the home.
“That changes the mindset of the Tryon Fire Department,” Davis said, adding that Tryon was assisting Columbus in their district. “It didn’t take very long for one of our firefighters to get on scene and see, that yes, we have a serious situation.”
Davis said fire was coming through the roof of the house so they knew immediately the fire was severe.
Bob Scoggins was driving the truck with Hipp and Waters with him. Local police officers were on scene and could see the occupant but couldn’t make entry because the fire was too severe, Davis said.
“Engine One pulls up and Tank and Johnny asked what to do,” Davis said. “I said you rescue. You get to the victim.”
Waters said as he and Hipp looked through the window they could see the man lying flat on his back on the bed. There was no way to get through the door because of the fire conditions, he said, saying the roof was falling in at different parts of the house.
“I said we need to go back and go in the window,” said Waters. So the two busted out the window with their hands, he said. Waters said he picked Hipp up into the window, with Hipp retrieving the victim and him pulling the victim and Hipp back through the window.
David said from the time the truck arrived on scene until the victim was in the care of EMS was four minutes. “I’m very proud of both of them,” Davis said.
Det. BJ Bayne with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said what is being left out is that the rescue process had to switch quickly from a fire and rescue to a crime scene.
“They noticed (the victim) had a gunshot wound,” Bayne said. “They slowed down enough and told me how the room was laid out. With the details they gave me it made my work a lot easier.”
Bayne said for the firefighters to notice details of the scene was remarkable. “This fire was raging,” she said. Bayne said she went home around 6 a.m. and the firefighters were still on scene trying to save her crime scene.
“If my house is ever on fire I pray that you’re there,” Bayne told the firefighters.
Davis presented both Hipp and Waters with plaques during the meeting. “If you want an example of two heroes in Tryon, they are standing right here tonight,” Davis said.
The investigation determined that the occupant took his own life and he was already deceased when the firefighters entered the home.