Police Officer Sees Raging House Fire While On Call — Bravely Breaks Through Fence To Rescue Terrified Family

Mar 18, 2021

On March 9, 2021, two police officers saw flames coming from across the street from the neighborhood they were visiting and rushed to the area. Video footage released from the body cam of the police officers shows the harrowing fire and one of the officers risking his life to save a family trapped within the home in Phoenix, Arizona. 

None of us can ever be prepared for a house fire, and unfortunately, sometimes it can be fatal for the people trapped inside. Thanks to the quick-thinking officers who jumped into action right away, all of the family members were saved and are reported to be safe. 

The Phoenix Police department also tweeted about the event and wrote, "On (3/9), officers were in the area of 64th Ave & McDowell when they saw smoke coming from a house. Officers and neighbors immediately ran to help save a woman and her 4 small children. Thank you community members for helping alongside our officers."

Ruby Johnson-Smith, the homeowner, was at home with her family when the fire broke out. Thankfully, even after the rescue, no injuries have been reported and all of the five members are safe. This is a truly frightening and stressful event to have to go through for anyone, but everyone is grateful for the police officer who did not think twice before jumping in to save the trapped members. 

It goes to show that our police forces are working hard every day, and they deserve recognition for their rescues. For the Johnson-Smith family, these police officers have forever changed their lives for the better. 

Ruby Johnson-Smith was at home with her daughter and four grandchildren when the first flames broke out according to ABC15 Arizona. My daughter and the kids were in the backyard, they were playing, and she ran in and said 'mom, get out it's a fire,’" Johnson-Smith told the news outlet. "I'm like, fire? I started to go to the back porch and then I saw that the fire was coming, so I just ran in my room and grabbed my purse and ran out." Thanks to her daughter's warning, Johnson-Smith got out but her grandchildren were still not safe. Their neighbor was altered about the kids who were quite close to the flames. 

"She kept saying that her kids were in the backyard and I thought they were by themselves," neighbor Josie Aragon said about the event. "I'm like, 'oh my God they need to get those kids out of there.’" Aragon told the news that the police officers saw the flames from across the street, where they were doing another visit. "Thank God there was these officers coming out of these apartments across the street," Aragon added. 

In moments like this, hearts are stopped and life and death hang in the balance. While many may freeze at seeing such a distressing scene, the police officers, who are trained to handle such events, jumped to work right away as seen by the bodycam footage in the video below. This isn't to say, however, that the actions of the police officer should not be commended for their courage.

In fact, the family knows that if it weren't for this chance encounter the officers had as well as their neighbor's help, things might not have been as okay as they are today. In the footage, officers can be seen rushing towards the house as soon as they realize what is happening. They bust down a side gate and get access to the backyard where some of the family members were trapped. The flames can be seen getting higher, and it is clear there was no way to get out through the house. 

The neighbors also jumped in to help right away when they heard that more people were trapped, and set up a ladder to help the trapped people get over the fence and out into safety. "Hey, come over here!" an officer can be heard yelling in the video to bring attention to the ladder. When it is a life or death situation such as this one, a clear mind and extreme grit are required to help others. 

"The officer was brave," another neighbor Annette Castillo told ABC15 Phoenix. "The fire, that's where it started right there, he still went in, broke down that fence, and saved the family." Once everybody was safe, the officer can also be heard comforting the family after the ordeal. "They're all OK, that's all that matters," he said. It is incredible to see that even after such a harrowing encounter, the officer continues to show compassion and support for the family. However, the name of the heroic officer has not been released yet. 

About her neighbor, Aragon said, "She's a good neighbor and a very loving person." Johnson-Smith credits her neighbors as well as the responding officers for so bravely rescuing her family. After the fire, the family has relocated to a motel where they currently stay, and all things considered, they are physically okay. The charred remains of the home can be seen in the video as well, but Johnson-Smith is grateful that their home was the only loss they had to suffer. 

"I appreciate them so much," Johnson-Smith added about the officers. "God is going to crown them for the help that they did for us." This is a life-changing event for everyone involved and has reminded the family that survived that they still have a lot to be grateful for. Johnson-Smith told FOX10 Phoenix, "I just feel blessed. Blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed." The exact cause of the fire is not yet known and is currently still under investigation. 

The Zebra reported that every year, there’s an average of 358,000 house fires according to the National Fire Protection Association and that these fires result in 7 deaths every day. The top three causes for house fires are reported to be home cooking, heating equipment, and electrical malfunction as per FEMA. Another frightening fact is that it only requires 30 seconds for a small flame to turn into a major fire. These statistics can be scary, but by taking care to turn off unused appliances around the house and adhering to proper safety measures, the chances of ending up in a house fire are dramatically reduced. 

We are glad to know that Ruby Johnson-Smith and her family are okay, and thank the police officer for his bravery as well! 

What did you think about this story of bravery of heroism from the police officer? Do you have any stories of when a police officer helped you out during a difficult time? Tell us your thoughts, and be sure to share this story with your friends and family as well.