On July 26, two Middletown police officers, Steve Crank and Adam Grindstaff, were credited with finding Roberts lying unconscious on her kitchen floor and carrying her out of the smoke-filled home to safety. She was transported to Atrium Medical Center, then to Miami Valley.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to fire officials. Middletown received mutual aid from Monroe and firefighters were on the scene from 6:23 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. The fire caused $25,000 in damages to the property, $10,000 to contents, according to the fire report.
Middletown’s 911 emergency dispatch received three calls about the fire. The third caller, a man who was crying, said, “There is a woman in there. She’s in the kitchen.”
Middletown police Chief David Birk said he “couldn’t be prouder” of his officers who risked their lives by rushing into the burning home. Crank is a three-year veteran, and Grindstaff joined the department in January.
“They are trained to react to situations and find the best way to find a solution,” Birk said. “We don’t train to enter burning buildings. They are true heroes.”
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