Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 05/05) - Heroic actions by four RCMP officers during the early morning Aug. 29 apartment fire at Anderson-Thompson Tower went "above and beyond the call of duty," says a deputy chief at the Yellowknife Fire Department.

After a fire was discovered on the fifth floor of the 11-storey brown building - located on 49th Street across the street from Sir John Franklin high school - Monday around 12:30 a.m., Cpl. Sean Gordon, acting Cpl. David Hamilton, Const. Keith Kowalchuk and Const. Brent Lackie, entered the burning apartment and found a semi-conscious woman.

"They knew someone was in the suite because the chain was locked from the inside. They forced the door and proceeded," said deputy fire chief Chucker Dewar.

The woman is yet to be identified by fire or police.

The four officers entered the burning apartment without oxygen masks or other protective gear.

Talking about it later, they were modest about their actions - citing second nature and training.

Cpl. Hamilton, along with Cpl. Gordon, kicked in the locked door and "were met by thick, heavy smoke," Hamilton said.

Const. Lackie described the scene inside the apartment.

"It was dark, you couldn't see. The sprinkler system was going full blast, the alarm was going, there was yelling back and forth - it was chaos," Lackie said.

Const. Kowalchuk said his first thought was to get any victims, adult or children, out of the fire.

After setting up a chain of flashlights leading back to the entrance, the officers began a search of the apartment, Hamilton said.

"We were trying to stay low down and feel our way around. We didn't know what we would happen upon until we came to the victim and the fire," Lackie said.

They heard a woman call out, and found her near the living room sofa, which was ablaze.

Because the woman appeared to be seriously injured, Hamilton decided to leave her on the floor for ambulance medics to carry out.

Covered by rain coat

"I took off my raincoat, got down on my knees with the victim and covered her up with the raincoat because she said she was cold," Hamilton said.

"I stayed with her, assuring her that people were there to help. We knew what we had to do and we did it," Hamilton said. "All four of us played an integral part in the rescue and worked together as a team," Hamilton said.

The experience was a first for the officers.

"You don't think twice: you are thinking about that other person who may be needing some help," Gordon said.

Hamilton said he is very happy they were able to help someone in need.

"I've seen lots and done lots. I've been shot at.

But this is the first time I've helped someone to this degree, Hamilton said. "I've been helping people all through my career, but for something like this - it's the first time."

Yellowknife RCMP Inspector Roch Fortin has high praise for his fellow officers.

"They definitely saved a life. They used common sense and I'm mighty proud of them."

The woman was medevaced to the University of Alberta Hospital and is described to be in critical, but stable condition.

The fire caused $25,000 damage to the apartment from the flames and water; and elsewhere in the building because of water seeping to other floors. Twenty-eight firefighters and a medic unit used two ladder trucks, a rescue truck and two other vehicles fight the fire The apartment building was saved from more damage thanks to its sprinkler system, said deputy fire chief Darcy Hernblad.

The Fire Marshal, RCMP and Yellowknife Fire Department are investigating causes of the fire.