An off-duty Bloomington firefighter rescued two people from a burning house early Wednesday morning, according to a press release from the city of Bloomington.
Bloomington firefighter First Class Gregory Bare saw his neighbor’s house was on fire just after midnight. He called 911 and then ran over to the house. He was not wearing any protective gear because he was off-duty, according to the press release.
Bare found his neighbor trying to escape through her window. He removed the screen and helped her out of the house. Bare then learned another sleeping person was still in the building, according to the press release.
The front of the house was on fire, so Bare entered through the back. He found the other resident, woke him up and helped him leave the building, according to the press release.
On-duty firefighters arrived less than two minutes after they received the 911 call. Bare stayed on the scene and assisted them in connecting the supply line to the hydrant, according to the press release.
Several firefighters on the scene credited Bare with saving the lives of the two people in the house. Bare will likely be recognized for his actions at Bloomington Fire Department’s annual awards banquet in February, according to the press release.
According to the press release, the cause of the fire has been ruled accidental.
