In the early morning on Tuesday, March 5, a fire engulfed a home in Harris County, Texas. Deputy Roberto Martinez was the first to respond to the scene, where his body cam captured heart-pounding footage of the 10-year veteran rescuing a grandmother from the blaze.
By the time Martinez arrived, the front door was completely engulfed in flame and most of the family had escaped. Five adults and two children lived in the home and all were accounted for except for one: grandmother Eloisa Martinez, who was "trapped in the darkness and thick smoke."
She told ABC 13:
"I was scared, I was scared. I just didn't know how I was going to get out."
With some help from a nearby family member, Martinez managed to find the room the grandmother was most likely in and break the window. Once he did, however, he found a dresser blocking the way:
"It had to be at least six feet tall because it was up there, it was probably covering the entire window."
Eloisa describes the deputy pushing over the dresser and saving her life:
"He broke the window and I had a cabinet there in the front, and so he pushed it over and I was able to crawl through and get to the window."
If Martinez had not arrived and taken immediate action, the grandmother believes she likely would have died:
"If he wouldn't have come when he did, I would probably be passed out on the ground, on the floor."
Both Eloisa and Martinez were hospitalized for smoke inhalation, but both were released without incident and later met again to say hello. Despite his role in Eloisa's rescue, Martinez believes his actions were part of his job:
"I was just doing what I have to do. Anyone of us would have done it."
Though Eloisa amde it out ok, her family lost everything they had in the fire. A GoFundMe to help them rebuild their lives has begun—you can donate here!
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