According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Gaines sustained first-, second- and third-degree burns, as well as smoke inhalation and other injuries. He has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
Gaines was injured when he tried to save a woman from a house fire in Dyer. Recently released body camera footage captured his rescue attempts.
In the footage, Gaines uses a bucket to reach a window and climb inside the house. Although he found the woman, he was unable to pull her out of the home before the heat and smoke became too much.
Gaines exited the house, but after a brief rest, he climbed back through the window in another rescue attempt. By this time, flames had begun to engulf the home.
Again, Gaines was unable to pull the woman out before the flames and smoke became too much. He escaped the home a final time and looked for help for his injuries.
"I'm burnt up, dude," Gaines says in the body camera footage.
The woman died in the fire, which is under investigation.
"This act of bravery is a reflection of the character Deputy Gaines has shown throughout his law enforcement career," the sheriff's office stated. ""Despite the dangers he has faced, his commitment to protecting and serving others has never wavered."
In 2021, Gaines, while serving with the Fort Smith Police Department, was seriously injured when he was stabbed trying to arrest a murder suspect.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help Gaines pay for his medical expenses. A softball tournament and benefit dinner are also planned.
