Last December, a downtown Las Vegas apartment fire led to a precarious rescue operation captured on the body cameras of Las Vegas Metro Police officers. Footage released showcases the officers responding to an urgent situation as large flames engulfed a residential building, with a woman visibly trapped and frantic on a balcony.
As one officer directed the woman to stay calm, “Hey, just stay right there. Come to this corner right here. Anyone else inside? Alright just stay right there,” according to the body camera video obtained by FOX5 Vegas. In those high-pressure minutes, metro police worked to devise a rescue plan, ultimately issuing the command, “Grab the dumpster!” This unconventional method, while not standard protocol, was a swift and pragmatic decision in the face of imminent danger.
An officer is heard yelling for help to get atop the dumpster, “Get me up there! Get me up there!” as described by Edmonton CTV News. The officers managed to maneuver the dumpster into place beneath the balcony. One officer then climbed onto it and reached the woman, the moment of rescue unfolding rapidly under the intense scrutiny of the fire's chaos.
Once the woman was safely brought down to the ground, an officer radioed in their success, “We got her off the balcony,” punctuating the end of the rescue. The bravery and quick thinking displayed by the officers did not go unnoticed; they were honored for their courage and compassion in a ceremony on yesterday. The woman they saved expressed her heartfelt thanks, “Oh, thank you! I’m fine thank you,” in a sentiment mentioned on FOX5 Vegas that bears witness to the officers’ life-saving actions.
