Local firefighter shares how crews rescued two-year-old from fire

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Lt. Matt Frehe with the Topeka Fire Department said the house fire on Polk Street was not your average fire.

The harsh conditions didn’t stop anyone from doing their part to put out the fire. Frehe was supposed to help hose down the fire when a frantic mother grabbed him

“She said ‘please help me, my baby is still up in the bedroom, right up here,'” Frehe said.

He said the smoke was so dense in the house, he could only look by feeling around the room.

“I started crawling around and I was thinking this is not good, we need to find her fast, and I crawled right over her and my flashlight shined right in her face,” said Frehe.

When Frehe found the child, she was not breathing and crews immediately got her out of the house and began performing CPR. They were able to get her breathing and to the hospital in about 8 minutes.