Cop Saves Elderly Man From Miami Beach Fire

Hero officer smells smoke, breaks down door and pulls man to safety

A Miami Beach police officer saved an elderly man's life after he pulled him from his burning house.

The incident happened just after midnight at the two story home on the 700 block of Prairie Ave.

Officials say Officer Robert Chenoweth smelled smoke in the area and when he went looking for the source, found smoke pouring out of the home.

Officer Chenoweth spotted the elderly man behind a tall locked gate at the residence and called out to the man, who went back into the home.

The officer kicked down the door and found the man, believed to be in his 80s, and pulled him to safety.

Chenoweth and another officer at the scene attempted to use buckets to put out the fire, which had started in a bedroom, but were unsuccessful.

The elderly man was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital.

"He was rescued successfully by the police officer and he's doing ok," said Javier Otero, Assistant Fire Chief with the Miami Beach Fire Department.

Firefighters arrived and started to battle the blaze, which quickly ripped through the home and caused the roof to collapse.

Otero said it's too early to tell how the fire started but that it didn't look suspicious. He said the fire likely isn't related to the string of fires on Miami Beach two weeks ago.

Contact Us