The Papamoa police officer who rescued an elderly woman from a house fire last night (Sunday, 6 July) was 53-year-old Senior Constable Adrian Oldham.
He was patrolling the suburb of Mount Maunganui when he came across a house engulfed in flames.
When the elderly woman inside the house tried to unlock the ranch slider Senior Constable Oldham saw her collapse. Unable to break through the door he smashed a side window and frame to gain access to the house.
After one attempt to find the woman he went outside for air as he was struggling to breath. He then entered the house a second time crawling along the floor to locate the woman.
He pulled her to the window he had climbed through and made several attempts to lift her through. Constable Shane McCarthy then arrived on scene and gained access to the house through a second window.
The pair laid their duty jackets across the broken window and were able to pull the woman from the house and to safety.
The woman was taken to hospital where she is in a stable condition.
Senior Constable Oldham was also taken to hospital due to cuts on his hands and for observation due to smoke inhalation. He was released a short time later.
Inspector Clifford PAXTON
Western Bay of Plenty Police
Ph 07 577 4300