Police officers rescue woman found asleep while house was on fire in Massachusetts

Two police officers and a good Samaritan helped save a woman's life after a house fire in Merrimac, Massachusetts early Wednesday morning.

Just after 5:30 a.m., while on his way to work, Jeff Strogney said he was driving down Bear Hill Road when he noticed something unusual.

"I came around the corner and saw flames out the back side of the house," he recalled. "It was bad, probably 10-to-15-foot flames." 

Instead of panicking, Strogney said he immediately stopped and began trying to alert someone inside. 

"I went banging on the doors first because there were lights on in the house," he said. "I tried banging, but couldn't get nobody to answer, so I called 911."

Within minutes, Merrimac police officers Paul DeCoste and Adam White arrived at the scene.

"There was heavy smoke and flames coming out of the left rear of the building," White said.

DeCoste said he kicked in the home's front door to get inside in search of residents. 

"I made it approximately 10 to 15 feet inside yelling 'police, police, is anybody in here?' but I couldn't hear anything," he said.

Eventually, the officer said he found a woman in her 70s asleep in a bedroom.

"When I woke her up, she was confused and distraught," he said. "We tried to calm her down and explain that her house was on fire."

Authorities say the officers were able to get the woman to safety without any injuries. 

"Everything worked out and everyone went home safe," White said.

While officers credit Strogney for taking quick action and calling 911, he said, "I was just at the right place at the right time."

"The heroes are the police department and the fire department. I give all the kudos to them," Strogney said. "That's just what you do, you take care of people."

According to the Merrimac fire chief, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.