York Regional Police Const. Justin Baird (above) and Toronto cop Adam Loughlin rescued elderly man from burning home.
Two off-duty police officers are being hailed as heroes after helping to pull a man from an apartment fire in the City of St. Catharines.
On December 6 at 11:30 p.m. York Regional Police Constable Justin Baird, who has been with that force for less than a year, and Toronto Police Constable Aidan Loughlin were in the area of St. Paul Street and James Street when they noticed flames coming from a second-floor unit above a cafe.
A man is lucky to be alive after being rescued by two off-duty police officers.
The officers sprinted towards the building and asked bystanders to call 9-1-1 as they smashed the front door to gain access to the building.
When the officers reached the second floor, they found an elderly male unconscious in one of the units.
The house fire was extinguished by St. Catharines fire fighters.
They managed to pull him outside to safety until Niagara Emergency Medical Services attended and transported the man to hospital.
The victim suffered serious injuries and remains in a critical condition.
Both officers suffered smoke inhalation and were treated by paramedics.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Ontario Fire Marshal.