Express-Star
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A Chickasha police officer's actions in escorting a resident from the woman's burning house Monday afternoon drew praise from the Chickasha city council within hours of the blaze.
Councilmember Chris Ferguson recognized Officer Mathew Schoolfield at the start of Monday's council meeting in City Hall.
According to a press release issued Tuesday by the police department, Schoolfield was on patrol nearby and was the first to arrive on the scene after dispatchers received a call about the fire in the 2400 block of South 16th St. The fire occurred at approximately 2:14 p.m.
When Schoolfield arrived, he found the rear of the residence engulfed in flames. Several neighbors standing at the front of the residence were yelling toward the house to see if anyone was home. Tbe officer quickly accessed the situation and made the decision to make sure no one was home, Interim Police Chief Maj. Elip Moore said.
He entered the structure, yelling to see if anyone was inside. With the residence filling with smoke, visibility was getting bad. Schoolfield continued to yell for anyone as he could not longer see.
He began to back track towards the front of the residence when he thought he heard something. Dropping down in order to see better, Schoolfield spotted a figure coming from the rear of the residence.
He escorted the person, later identified as Shonda Deambrose, from the house. Once outside she was treated by the Chickasha Fire Department.
Schoolfield remained on scene assisting the fire department by blocking the street so that they could perform their job, Moore said.
