Officer in ICU after off duty rescue

A Lockport police officer is in the hospital after saving a man from a burning house. Just before 4 p.m. Monday, two off-duty officers were jogging on H awley Street when they saw a woman running up her driveway towards them. She was screaming that her house was on fire and her husband was still inside.

Officers Todd Chenez and Michael Stover ran towards the back of the house where they saw smoke coming out of the back door. They didn't hesitate and ran into the basement, where they found a 69-year-old man unconscious.

Before the woman came upon the off-duty officers, she had called 911. As Chenez and Stover were trying to get the man out of the basement, more officers arrived on scene. The two were having trouble moving the man on their own, and at one point had to leave the house because they were having trouble breathing.

Finally with the help of two other officers, Anthony Pittman and Heather Rohde, all four were able to get the man out of the basement.

Officers Chenez,  Pittman and Rohde were treated and released from Eastern Niagara Hospital in Lockport. Officer Stover was also taken to ENH for smoke inhalation and was admitted to the intensive care unit for observation. 

The 69-year-old man was taken to ECMC.

The Lockport Police Arson Investigator was called to the scene and the investigation is still ongoing.