SOUTH KINGSTOWN — Chief Steven Pinch reports that the Union Fire District of South Kingstown will be honoring six of its members who saved a resident as well as a dog during a fire rescue earlier this year.

WHEN
Monday, July 19, during the UFD’s monthly Warden’s meeting. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. and the recognition will be the first agenda item. Media members wishing to attend are asked to arrive by 6:45 p.m.

WHERE
The UFD headquarters, 132 Asa Pond Road, South Kingstown

WHO
Chief Pinch and UFD officials will be recognizing six members who played a key role in rescuing a resident and a dog during a house fire that took place this spring. The six members include:

• Captain Tyler Parks and Lt. Eric Holmander, the firefighters who rescued the man and his dog
• Captain Andrew Duckworth and Matt Viner, who provided support
• Lt. Dan Kiely, pump operator
• Deputy Chief Anthony Cinquegrana, the commanding officer

WHAT
The six members were among those who responded to a fire inside a multi-unit apartment building in the early morning hours of Saturday, March 20. As part of the response, the overnight duty engine and Stations 1, 2, 3, 6 and Ladder 2 responded to a commercial box alarm at the Champagne Heights housing complex located at 364 Curtis Corner Road.

Shortly after the initial dispatch, responding fire units were advised that someone may be trapped inside the unit where the working fire was located. The South Kingstown Police Department was first on the scene and had attempted to rescue the person.

Engine 21 was the first engine on scene and Chief 3 on scene reported fire showing from one of the units. Crews began a primary search and found a man unresponsive in the rear bedroom of the unit. The man was brought outside and was transported by ambulance to an area hospital. The man was the only resident inside the unit at the time of the fire.

Engine 21 crews then began working to extinguish the fire and establish water supply. Crews reentered the building to continue their search and located a dog in the unit. The dog was carried to safety outside and taken to a local veterinarian.

The man rescued has since made a full recovery from injuries sustained in the incident.

“We may be a volunteer operation, but the skills, training and bravery required is the same as you find with any department, and that was clearly shown back on March 20,” Chief Pinch said. “The UFD members who responded that night, as well as the South Kingstown Police Department and EMS, all put their lives on the line and it will be a special privilege to be able to honor those who played a key role in saving a man’s life as well as the dog who was trapped inside the building. On behalf of the entire Union Fire District, I commend them on their heroic actions.”

###