4 Nashua Police Officers Help Save Elderly Woman From Fire

NASHUA, NH — Four Nashua police officers were honored this week for helping save an elderly woman from a fire at her Lock Street home earlier this year. Police Chief Andrew Lavoie presented Officers Scott Ciszek, Alex Gangi, Jason Reinold and Colin Flanagan with a lifesaving award. The fire broke out January 7 at abiut 9 a.m. and the elderly woman, who is in her 80s, was trying to save her dogs and cats.

"Officer Ciszek, who was on patrol, observed a large amount of smoke coming from the rear of 93 Lock Street," Lavoie said in a statement. "After notifying dispatch Officer Ciszek was met by a male exiting the residence who reported that there was an elderly female who was still in the house. Officer Ciszek entered the home from a side door and immediately encountered flames which forced him to exit.

Lavoie continued, "Once outside the residence, Officer Ciszek was joined by Officer Gangi. The two officers then forced open the front door and re-entered the building. Officer Reinold and Officer Flanagan also entered the building and the four began to crawl on the floor in search of the elderly female. The smoke became so thick and heavy that they had to vacate the residence."

The officers told firefighters where the woman was and they pulled her from the burning building. She survived. Several dogs and cats were killed.

Officer Ciszek has been with the Nashua Police Department for 15 years; Officer Gangi has been with the force for 10 years; Reinhold for 7 and Flanagan will complete a year in August.

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• Nashua Fire: 2 Saved, Pets Killed

Photo: The scene of a fire in Nashua on Lock Street January 7, 2018. (Credit: Nashua Fire Department)