Virginia Sheriff's Deputy Helps Evacuate Burning Apartment Building

ROANOKE, Virginia -- A Roanoke Sheriff's deputy is being hailed as a hero after he helped evacuated residents from a burning apartment building Tuesday afternoon.

Deputy Andrew Palmer was on his way to serve court paperwork spotted the flames over U.S. 220 as heard the report of the fire on Summit Way, according to The Roanoke TImes.

Palmer, a 16-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, saw people were scrambling to alert tenants at the 10-unit building when he arrived on the scene. He went to the building’s upper floor—closest to the spreading fire—to help get out the remaining residents. 

“He did a great job,” Fire-EMS Chief David Hoback, who added that the deputy stayed on scene to assist the arriving fire engines “That’s what public safety is all about. We all jump in and help one another.”

The two-alarm fire spread across multiple sides of the apartment building’s top floor and collapsed its roof. Fourteen people and five pets were displaced, but no one was injured.

Palmer said credit should be given to the civilians who sprang into action. “You’re there to help out. You’re not going to shy away,” he said. “The sheriff’s office is there to help—help the police department, help the fire department, all three of us work together. That’s what I feel that we should do, and that’s what we do.”