Watch N.Y. Police Officer, Deputy Pull Man from Window of House Fire

After heavy smoke kept him from entering, an Auburn police officer, along with a Cayuga County sheriff's deputy, saved a man trapped inside a burning home by pulling him through a first-floor window.

Source The Citizen, Auburn, N.Y.

Nov. 7, 2025

2 min read

What to know

Auburn Police Officer Paul Flickner and Cayuga County Sheriff’s Sheriff's Deputy Brian Kelly rescued a man trapped inside a burning home Wednesday afternoon.
Flickner entered the smoke-filled house after hearing the resident call for help but was forced out by heavy smoke before pulling the man to safety with Kelly and a neighbor through a window.
Both Flickner and the resident were treated at the scene, and the fire’s cause remains under investigation.

An Auburn, NY, police officer and a Cayuga County sheriff's deputy saved a man trapped inside a burning home Wednesday by pulling him through a first-floor window.

An Auburn police officer and a Cayuga County sheriff's deputy rescued a man from a house fire on Wednesday.

The Auburn Police Department said Officer Paul Flickner was on patrol at approximately 4:01 p.m. when he received a report of a structure fire at 39 Perry St. He was nearby and responded to the scene within two minutes of the call, according to a news release.

When Flickner arrived, he saw flames from the back of the house and heavy smoke from the front door and windows. A neighbor opened the front door and dogs ran out, police said, but they did not know if the resident was still inside.

Flickner approached the front door and yelled to anyone inside. A male resident, who was asleep at the time of the fire, woke up after hearing the officer's voice. He panicked and yelled for help, police said, and Flickner entered the residence.

Flickner attempted to rescue the resident by crawling below the heavy smoke, but the man was disoriented and yelled that he was upstairs.

Police said Flickner was unable to continue due to smoke inhalation. At that time, Cayuga County Sheriff's Office Deputy Brian Kelly responded to the scene. A neighbor saw the resident of the house through a first-floor window. Flickner and Kelly, with the help of the neighbor, pulled the resident out of the window.

The Auburn Fire Department arrived to extinguish the fire. Flickner and the resident were treated at the scene by Auburn City Ambulance.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to police.

_______________

Visit www.auburnpub.com.

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.