IMPD bodycam video shows police rescuing mother, children from fire

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A heart-stopping video — that’s how police describe a rescue in Indianapolis that was captured on body camera exactly one week ago.

Early on the morning of April 11, IMPD officers were called to a fire at an apartment building at East and Hanna Streets on the southeast side.

IMPD says one woman inside the building called 911 and said she was trapped inside her second-floor apartment with her two children, ages two and three.

One officer, identified by IMPD as Officer Carroll, walked to the back of the building and made contact with the woman, who cried out, “Please hurry! I can’t breathe! I’ve got my kids in here!”

Carroll called for backup and several officers rushed to help save the family.

As smoke poured from the apartment, police directed the woman to toss her children, one at a time, out the window to where officers on the ground would be waiting. The woman then jumped out the window and was caught by police.

After the rescue, officers made sure the family was unharmed and that nobody else was trapped inside the apartment.

In the video, an officer can be heard comforting the children: “You did good! You did so good! You guys are so brave! One day, you’re going to get to tell a story about how you jumped out a two-story window. You and your mom.”

The Indianapolis Fire Department says several residents gave 911 dispatchers their exact location inside the building, including their apartment number, which helped firefighters locate them quickly and bring them to safety.

“Anytime you can transmit that information to the dispatcher before you hang up that is always going to help us get you out of the building faster should you not be able to come out on your own,” Rita Reith, battalion chief and IFD spokesperson, said.

According to IFD, a 70-year-old man told firefighters the fire started when a lit candle fell onto a blanket. He was taken to Eskenazi Hospital with slight injuries.