Woman with autism rescued from burning Shoreview home
Police squads and fire trucks broke the usual silence in a Shoreview, Minnesota, cul-de-sac Wednesday night.
Nikki Kahalekai watched the rapid response from her window Wednesday night, alongside her two children.
"It was like a scene out of a movie," Kahalekai said.
Trapped inside that burning home was a 23-year-old woman with autism. A deputy, just heading into work, not only called in the fire but ran into the flames and helped get the woman out with the help of her grandfather, the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office says.
"We ran out, noticed that the flames were quickly growing," Kyle Bernier said.
Bernier, a neighbor, and his partner saw it all.
"The deputy ran inside," Bernier said. "He didn't hesitate, he ran in very quickly. Incredibly brave, I mean the house was going up in just minutes."
Lake Johanna Fire Chief Tim Boehlke said the quick actions of the deputy and the woman's grandfather freed up his crews to knock down the flames faster, within 10 minutes.
"They acted at the right moment. This fire was rapidly spreading, it was already entering the inside of the first and second floor of the house," Boehlke said.
The fire spread to two townhomes. Without the help of that deputy, things could have been much worse, Boehlke said.
The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but right now it looks to be related to smoking, the chief said.
