‘I can't breathe': Scary footage captures woman's dramatic rescue from ‘suspicious' unit fire in Townsville, Qld

News.com.au

2 days ago

The dramatic moment police saved the life of a woman after she became trapped in a unit which caught fire has been revealed, with officers smashing down walls in the burning building in order to rescue her.
Emergency services were called to a unit on Percy St in Townsville's West End shortly after 9pm after reports a number of units were on fire.
By the time police arrived, the fire had spread to a second unit, where a woman, 54, was living.
In footage released by Queensland Police, the woman can be heard screaming as the fire engulfs her property, leaving her trapped inside.
'I just had someone screaming in here,' an officer says in the terrifying footage.
One begins kicking the door to the unit, but when it fails to give way another officer to launches his body at the side of the wall, knocking it down.
The woman can be heard yelling as police throw garbage bins out of the way.
Officers cough and splutter as they tried to gain entry, with one saying they 'can't breathe' as smoke fills the property.
Officers can be heard shouting: 'Where are you, dear?' and 'Follow me!'
The woman was safely escorted from the unit by police.
She suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to Townsville University Hospital for treatment.
The officers also sustained minor smoke inhalation and were treated at Townsville University Hospital.
They have since been discharged.
'The cause of the fire is under investigation,' Queensland Police said in a statement, who are classifying it as 'suspicious'.