To witness what it genuinely means to dash into a blazing structure, footage from a barn fire rescue in July 2020 captured by a body camera provides an indication – and it’s as harrowing as one would expect.
On July 23, 2020, the Hilltown Police in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, received a distress call concerning a fire at Red Wing Farm.
Officer Matthew Reiss and Officer Kristian Hanus reached the boarding stable prior to the arrival of the firefighting team, and were informed that although all humans had evacuated, one horse was still trapped inside the burning barn.
They characterized the scenario as “chaotic,” with employees scattering in all directions, chasing after horses and escaping from the flames.
“Up until then, it was just a normal day. We were doing paperwork when we got the call for a barn fire on Hilltown Pike,” Reiss told the Bucks County Courier Times.
In collaboration with a farmhand, the two officers braved the thick smoke and flames to rescue the horse.
Upon entering the barn, the camera footage displays a heap of hay engulfed in flames, with the petrified horse, named Phoebe, cowering in a corner, unable to move.
“Fetch me a rope,” one of the officers demands, while the farmhand directs him to the horse’s tether.
Regrettably, neither officer was well-versed in handling horses, and the purple tether was fastened to a halter that required proper fitting on the animal’s face.
“I didn’t know how to put that thing on a horse, and there was no time,” Reiss told the Courier Times.
Fortuitously, the officer’s partner was able to maneuver the horse around, and they successfully restrained her.
“I don’t know how I did it,” Reiss said, “just got behind it and tried moving her in the right direction.”
Fortuitously, the officer’s partner was able to maneuver the horse around, and they successfully restrained her.
“Pull it, Kristian, pull!” Reiss yelled to Hanus.
Amid the growing flames, the officers were aware of the possibility of an explosion at any instant.
The trainer who aided the officers attempted to cover Phoebe’s eyes with a cloth, to minimize her fear and help her escape, but it wouldn’t stay in place.
It took some time, but eventually Phoebe, a 22-year-old paint mare, was coaxed out of her stall.
Once the horse regained its composure, it noticed a clear path to escape from the barn.
The rescuers were relieved when Phoebe darted out, and congratulated each other on successfully saving her life.
Officer Reiss sustained minor injuries during the rescue, as he tore up his hand while pulling on the lead.
When the Hilltown Fire Company and 14 other companies arrived, the entire barn was already engulfed in flames.
Six EMS units from Bucks and Montgomery Counties also responded to the two-alarm blaze, treating eight people at the scene and transporting four of them to nearby hospitals.
The availability of footage meant that the dramatic rescue quickly went viral.
The officers have received gratitude from people all over the world and were recently honored for their courage.
Phoebe has also recovered well, thanks to the quick thinking and bravery of the officers.