PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (WFLA) – Pinellas Park Police Officer Jeffrey DeTrano says he was just doing his job on Friday morning when he ran into a burning home and saved an elderly resident.
“The room that he was in wasn’t on fire but you could see it was headed that way. So I went in. I picked him up,” said DeTrano. “He wasn’t able to walk at the time so I kind of dragged him out.”
The fire happened at a home on 70th Avenue North in Pinellas Park. Gene Robbins lives next door, and had a feeling his neighbor who he calls “Jonesy” was still inside.
“They had to break the glass on the side of the door to reach in to open the door,” said Robbins. “Then they found him on the back porch.”
Once DeTrano was able to get 73-year old Christopher Jones out, paramedics rushed him to the hospital where doctors treated him for his injuries and released him.
DeTrano says it wasn’t training, rather instinct that prompted him to run inside.
“I think the adrenaline pumping and everything. I didn’t realize what I was doing at the moment,” said DeTrano. “I kind of let fear and stuff go and just went in and got him.”
DeTrano had the weekend off, which gave him some time to reflect on what happened.
“It’s surreal, kind of. You never really think that you’re going to be involved in situations like this. But like I said, it’s instincts,” said DeTrano. “Once I saw him, I knew that something needed to be done and I was able to go in and get him. “
