Uniontown Police Department corporal rescues woman from house fire
An intense rescue was caught on camera as Corporal Zachary Vernail of the Uniontown Police Department found himself first on the scene of a house fire Saturday evening.
Arriving alone, with no hose or crew, he had just one tool: a fire extinguisher in his patrol vehicle.
"I received my extinguisher from the trunk of my patrol vehicle, went into the residence to see if I could put the fire out as best as I could, and try to make my way to the female from the inside," said Vernail. "She was sitting on the roof, and I could hear her saying that she was stuck. She had no way down."
Vernail has been with the department for five years and is a firefighter with the Hempfield Borough Fire Department. His dual training kicked in when he realized his extinguisher could not combat the fire. As the fire intensified, fire crews arrived on the scene.
Vernail quickly shifted to a rescue operation, grabbing a ladder to reach the woman.
"I got to the top of the ladder. She was covered in soot and had severe smoke inhalation. I was just trying to talk to her, calm her down, and get her to come down the ladder with me," said Vernail.
The Evans Street home remains, now marked by a clear view of where the woman was stuck.
Lieutenant Tom Kolenzik, a colleague of Vernail's, praised the officer's quick thinking during the rescue.
"I'm so proud of him. It's his mindset, too. His life in jeopardy was an afterthought," said Kolenzik.
In his 10 years as a firefighter, Vernail described this rescue as unique. His recommendation for other first responders is cross-training, ensuring they have a general idea of what needs to be done in various emergency situations.
"So, when you get calls that involve a dual response of fire and EMS, or police, EMS, or fire, we have a general idea of what needs to be done initially," said Vernail.
Both the woman and another man who escaped earlier are alive. Police confirmed that the fire was accidental.
