Lawmen Recognized After Saving At Least Four From Apartment Fire

<p>The City of Chickasha is recognizing first responders for their efforts during an apartment fire.&nbsp;</p>

Tuesday, July 5th 2016, 10:46 pm

By: News 9


The City of Chickasha is recognizing first responders for their efforts during an apartment fire.

Authorities said Chickasha police officers and Grady County deputies saved at least four lives when the complex caught fire while the people inside were sleeping.

Police officers and sheriff's deputies were the first on scene of the apartment fire on June 9 on the 800 block of West Chickasha Avenue.

Officials said had they not gone inside when they did, smoke inhalation could've killed the people living there.

Police body camera showed officer Clayton Hobbs had zero hesitation during the response. The footage showed him run into the apartment complex as smoke alarms sounded.

It was just after midnight so he screamed for the tenants to get out of bed and guided them down from the second floor to escape the toxic smoke.

"Get low! Crawl!" Hobbs shouted.

"I was scared that if they stood up into that smoke that they would probably pass out," he told News 9.

With only a few inches of sight under the smoke, Hobbs also crawled and continued to shout for any remaining victims before more help arrived.

"It was a miracle," he said. "I think if we would've waited another minute, if that, it would have been too bad. It would've been a bad situation."

Hobbs and other lawmen received the "Above and Beyond Award" from the City of Chickasha Tuesday at a city council meeting.

Despite not being trained to fight fires, the officers and deputies didn't back down from this dangerous situation to fulfill their duty.

"There were people that needed help. Somebody had to do it," said Hobbs.

A woman who lived in the complex was arrested later that evening.

Grady County sheriff's deputies said she was enraged and in the middle of a road, threatening them with a barbecue fork.

Jail records show Virginia Smith is accused of arson and resisting arrest, among other crimes. 

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

July 5th, 2016

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024