Michigan deputies climb into pickup truck bed to rescue apartment residents escaping a fire
Deputies who arrived at a building fire in Scottville, Michigan, improvised a rescue plan using a pickup truck to assist people who were trapped on apartment balconies.
Multiple residents were injured, some of whom received treatment from EMS at the scene and others who were taken to Corewell Hospital nearby. No fatalities were reported.
The call for help was placed at 9:50 p.m. Monday from the Glendale Apartments on Third Street in Scottville, which is in Mason County on the west side of the state.
Two Mason County Sheriff's Office patrol deputies arrived shortly afterwards, and they noticed several people were waiting for help on second-floor balconies.
Among them was Sergeant Adam Claveau, who backed up his agency pickup truck to the building, near the balconies. Deputy Matt Moss and Michigan State Police Trooper Mansour then pulled several people away from the apartments and into the bed of the pickup.
Bodycam video shared by the sheriff's office on social media showed the rescue effort, amid the screech of fire alarms and shouts from residents.
"We've got to get that kid off the second floor right there," one of the officers said to the other.
In response, Claveau backed up the pickup next to the building while others climbed into the bed and shouted out directions to the residents. "Give me the kid! You're good, sweetie," as a child was lifted over the balcony edge, then toward the truck and to the ground.
Then the officers pried boards off a balcony railing to assist in getting others out.
"It is believed the fire started in a first-floor apartment," Sheriff Kim C. Cole said in the department's report. "Due to the heavy smoke upstairs, residents were forced to the balconies and could not reach their front doors.
The fire departments that responded were from Scottville, Ludington, Pere Marquette Township and Custer Township.
In addition to Mason County deputies and Michigan State Police, the other agencies sent to this call included Ludington Police, Mason County Sheriff's Victim Services Unit, LIFE EMS, Mason County Red Cross, Scottville Department of Public Works and Fountain Area Fire Auxiliary.
