A Shenandoah police officer is being credited with a child’s life during a house fire on the night of Dec. 22.
According to State Police-Frackville, West Mahanoy Township Fire Dept., along with fire crews from Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Englewood, and an EMS crew from Shenandoah responded to 260 Indiana Ave. in Shenandoah Heights for a reported structure fire.
First responders upgraded the incident’s severity to a house fire with entrapment.
Also responding to the scene was Shenandoah PD Patrolman Mark Hysock.
Police say Hysock entered the burning house and went up to the third floor. Crawling through a smoked-filled hallway, Hysock made his way to a bedroom at the front of the house.
In the bedroom, Hysock located an 18-month-old child. He grabbed the child and crawled with it to safety.
Hysock gave the child to Shenandoah EMS. The child was then flown by medical helicopter to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest for treatment of their injuries.
Firefighters were able to douse the flames at the house in Shenandoah Heights. Investigators believe the fire started in the 3rd floor bedroom where the child was found.
A cause of the fire is still under investigation.