2 taken to hospital after jumping from window in Centerville apartment fire

Two people were taken to the hospital after they reportedly jumped from a second-story apartment window during a fire Wednesday morning.

One of the two people was holding a dog as she jumped, said Centerville police Officer John Davis. The dog reportedly tried to protect the woman and was not allowing paramedics to treat her.

“It was kind of unique in that I had to put on a fire jacket and fire gloves,” said Davis. “We were able to cover the dog with a sheet to calm him down a little bit to where I could put him in the back seat of a cruiser until the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center was able to respond and take care of him while the residents are being cared for at the hospital.”

A dog was placed in back of Centerville police cruiser after a woman jumped out of a second-story window with the dog during an apartment fire on Wednesday, September 7, 2022. The dog was protecting the owner from paramedics, so Centerville police officer had to help remove the dog. MARSHALL GORBY \STAFF

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Davis said he understood the dog was trying to protect its family and added he didn’t want the dog to run off or get hurt.

Additional information on the pair’s injuries was not available.

The fire was reported at the Chevy Chase Park Apartments in the 250 block of South Main Street around 8:46 a.m., according to Montgomery County Regional Dispatchers.

“Crews had heavy smoke coming from the first floor,” said Washington Twp. Fire Department Chief Scott Kujawa. “Smoke was starting to come from the second floor. They made entry through the front door; had a quick knockdown.”

Residents were evacuated from units on both sides of the apartment. Kujawa said he believed the residents would be able to continue to live in the neighboring units.

A damage estimate was not available.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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