Ohio Firefighters Saved Baby from Basement Due to 'Closed Door'

Twinsburg firefighters rescued an 8-month old baby from a two-alarm house fire on August 17, after a call for help to 911 reported a fire in the basement with a baby. The homeowner had already escaped the home with two other young children and kept trying to get back inside to save the baby in a basement bedroom, but the smoke and heat was too intense.

Upon arrival at the scene, Twinsburg firefighter Joshua Jarzab and his crew began performing VEIS — Vent, Enter, Isolate and Search — equipped with a water can, irons for forceful entry and a thermal imager. When they located the bedroom door, Jarzab knew it was the right location because he could make out a child’s safety lock. “When I opened it up, I could see the little guy poking his head out over the crib.” The baby boy was in good condition and taken to Ahuja Medical Center in Beachwood.

While other responding units worked together to contain the fire, Jarzab said the parents’ actions also helped save their son by closing his door during his nap. “Having that door closed prevented everything.”