Chief Kris Seymore commends Elkhart Police Department officers, Elkhart Fire Department firefighters and medics, dispatchers and other emergency personnel for their response to a building fire on Friday, March 3, in the 200 block of Jefferson Street in Elkhart.

Chief Seymore specifically commends three of our patrol officers for their quick thinking and lifesaving actions.

On March 3, 2023, at approximately 8:59 p.m., Elkhart Police Department officers Ptl. Bryce Moore and Ptl. Gavin Headley were responding to an unrelated call when they observed flames coming out of 3rd floor windows at a residence in the 200 block of Jefferson Street.

The officers parked their squad cars and ran toward the building. As they approached the building, a female standing in the back yard indicated that there were people inside.

Ptl. Moore entered the first floor and told people to evacuate. Officers notified emergency Dispatch of the fire and requested fire units dispatched to this location.

The officers then ran up the exterior stairway to the 3rd floor and forced open a door, notifying other individuals present that there was a fire and they needed to evacuate. Officers escorted individuals out of the 3rd floor as it began to fill with thick smoke.

Ptl. Moore and a male in the residence carried a female who could not walk out of the third floor and down the stairs.

During this time, Cpl. Nathanael Eddy also arrived on scene and started evacuating the basement of the burning home. Ptl. Headley assisted with the basement evacuation, and began evacuating the surrounding homes for safety.

Elkhart Fire Department personnel arrived and extinguished the fire. Nine individuals ended up being taken by medics to the hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is still underway.