A late-night bowl of cereal turned into a life-saving rescue for Sebastopol Police Chief Sean McDonagh early Wednesday morning.
According to the Press Democrat, the Chief was covering a graveyard shift when a 911 call came in from a woman in her 70s trapped inside her burning home on Fircrest Avenue. McDonagh and Officer Jaime Baldovinos arrived within two minutes, found the woman unable to walk due to heavy smoke inhalation, and carried her to safety just as flames engulfed the front of the house.
Fire officials say the quick response—aided by the city’s newly staffed fire station—likely made the difference between life and death. While the woman is recovering, the home has been red-tagged, and investigators believe the blaze may have been started by candles.