Positivity: Police rescue teen from group home fire
From Washington, Pennsylvania:
Friday, May 9, 2008
A veteran Washington County police officer who rushed into a burning group home Thursday to rescue an unconscious teenager doesn’t consider himself a hero, just a man doing his job.
Cpl. Michael Sulerud was one of three Washington city policemen who went into the group home to rescue a badly burned girl, police Chief James Blyth said.
The 18-year-old resident was taken to UPMC Mercy, Uptown, where she remained in critical condition in the burn unit last night.
Sgt. Robert Lemons and Patrolman Todd Foreman, who assisted in the rescue, “basically said (Sulerud) was the one who did the most,” Blyth said.
All three were taken to The Washington Hospital, where they were released after treatment for smoke inhalation, Blyth said.
“It’s not being a hero; it’s my job,” Sulerud said.
“This is what I do, what anybody else in emergency services — police, firefighters, paramedics — does, to help, protect, serve and assist others who need help. I was just doing what I know how to do,” Sulerud said.
“You know it’s a personal care home and the people there need help. I didn’t know if she was hurt or trapped. I was just trying to get up there and help her. I didn’t think twice about it. Somebody needed help. I didn’t really think of anything else.”
The fire erupted shortly after noon in the three-story house in the 900 block of East Maiden Street near the entrance to Washington Park.
“When we got there, workers and other residents of the home were coming around front. I asked the workers if anyone was left inside and they said one girl was trapped on the second floor,” Sulerud said.
“Sgt. Lemons and I went upstairs, basically on our hands and knees. (At the top of the stairs,) I looked right and couldn’t see anything. I looked left and couldn’t see but I used my flashlight and saw something about six feet down the hallway.
“I went into the hallway and found her lying unconscious. I reached down to grab her and Sgt. Lemons kept hold of me so I couldn’t get lost. I dragged her back toward me and handed her off,” Sulerud said. …..
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