PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A Pinellas Park Police Office said he was "just doing his job" when he carried an elderly man out of a burning house to safety late last week.
- Fire occurred early morning on Oct. 25
- Officer Jeffrey Detrano saved Christopher Jones, 73
- More Good News stories
The fire occurred around 4 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 in the 4300 block of 70th Avenue North. Neighbors called 911 when they saw smoke coming out of the house.
"I am standing out front and I banged on his door and I have not entered the house but I can see fire inside," said a 911 caller.
"I saw the smoke coming pouring out of the front and blowing up in the sky," said Gene Robbins, who lives next door.
Pinellas Park Police Officer Jeffrey DeTrano happened to be patrolling nearby and saw all the commotion.
When he arrived, he looked through a back door and saw Christopher Jones, 73, crouched down inside.
"The room he was in wasn't actually on fire, but it was coming that way, so I went in," DeTrano said, speaking to assembled media on Monday. "I picked him up and he wasn't able to walk at the time, so I kind of dragged him out."
Robbins said he feels like the officer helped save his friend's life.
"When they got him out I heard them say, 'One more minute and he could have been dead,'" he said.
DeTrano said he's happy he was there to help.
"We don't get a lot of fire training as police officers but the instincts definitely kicked in," he said. "I signed up for this job to serve and protect and help save lives."
We were not able to reach Jones for a comment. He was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.