HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Credit that a massive apartment building fire didn’t result in casualties is going to a young Marshall University police officer.
Officer Chase Poore lives close to the Garden Park Apartments.
He and his girlfriend had taken their dog outside a little after 1 a.m. Tuesday when they saw smoke coming from one of the buildings.
“I just thought — OK, I need to go check that out,” Poore said.
It was a late hour when he knew many would be sleeping. Poore says he climbed over a fence and ran inside the burning building and started pounding on and kicking down doors.
“I gave everybody one knock and one scream,” he said. “If they weren’t already outside their door or opening their door, that’s when I took the initiative and kicked the door down.”
Poore joined the Marshall Police Department last summer and graduated from the West Virginia State Police Training Academy in November. He says his training kicked in.
“My training did help me a lot,” he said. “I knew I needed to take action and get everybody out of there.”
The Hannan High School class of 2021 graduate says it’s an enormous relief, as bad as this fire was, that no one lost their life.
“It felt really good, inspiring to know I helped that many people and got them out of there safely,” Poore said.
Ally Stidham is one of the tenants who had their door kicked open by Poore.
“He is a hero,” Stidham said. “If not for him, I would have slept through the fire and probably wouldn’t be here along with my two dogs.”
Stidham also says Poore’s girlfriend, Ava Biggum, gave her her hoodie because she was freezing and shaking.
Officials say 24 people were displaced because of the fire, and two people were injured, including a firefighter.
The building contained 21 apartment units.
A Facebook post from the Barboursville Volunteer Fire Department Friday says the firefighter was injured when a block wall fell during the fire, suffering a C7 vertebrae fracture, and he’ll be in a neck brace for several months. They say the injury will prevent him from working.
The post includes a link where people can donate to the family.
For previous coverage >>> WSAZ speaks with victim of burning apartment complex, investigates if sprinklers were required
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