TWINSBURG, Ohio – Firefighters successfully rescued an 8-month-old baby from a two-alarm house fire in Twinsburg on Sunday afternoon.
The 911 Call and Initial Response
The first 911 call came in at approximately 12:20 p.m., with a panicked homeowner reporting, “Hello, hello, we have a fire in the basement with a baby in the basement.” The homeowner had already escaped the house with two other children but was unable to re-enter to save the baby due to intense smoke and heat.
“I can’t, I can’t get down there,” the caller said, breathless from the smoke.
In response, dispatchers quickly called for mutual aid, and Twinsburg police arrived at the scene. Despite their efforts, the officers were unable to access the basement due to the thick smoke.
Firefighter Action
Joshua Jarzab, a firefighter with the Twinsburg Fire Department, shared that upon arrival, their primary focus was the child’s rescue. The house was filled with dense smoke, and the basement was completely dark.
“We couldn’t hear anything except for the fact that there was a baby in the basement,” Jarzab explained.
Basement fires are especially dangerous due to limited access points. Jarzab and his crew immediately employed the VEIS method — Vent, Enter, Isolate, and Search — using equipment like a water can, irons for forceful entry, and a thermal imager to locate the baby.
“We weren’t going to leave that basement until that baby was found,” Jarzab said. “The fire wasn’t our priority. Finding that baby was.”
Baby Found and Saved
By sheer luck, the firefighters located the bedroom door, which had a child’s safety lock. When the door opened, they found the baby poking his head out of the crib.
Jarzab quickly lowered the baby to the floor to avoid smoke inhalation and rushed him outside to safety, where paramedics were waiting.
“I held him as close to my jacket as I could and moved quickly,” he recalled to MyFox8.
Outcome and Fire Investigation
The baby boy was transported to Ahuja Medical Center and was reported to be in good condition after the incident.
Firefighter Jarzab also emphasized how the parents’ actions helped save their child. By closing the bedroom door during the baby’s nap, they prevented smoke from filling the room and causing further harm.
“If that door hadn’t been closed, the smoke would have made it to the bedroom, and I believe the outcome could have been much worse,” Jarzab stated.
Aftermath and Fire Damage
A few Twinsburg officers and the homeowner were treated for smoke inhalation at the scene. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and property damage has been estimated at over $90,000.
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