Bodycam video: Wisconsin police chief kicks in door to help save family from fire
Elk Mound, Wisconsin, Police Chief Chad Weinberger kicked down the door of a burning home to get the family inside out to safety.
The body camera from Weinberger’s rescue on Sept. 4 was just released by the Village of Elk Mound.
“I knew Doug would be at home sleeping — he works third shift. I knew the daughter would be at home as well,” Weinberger recalled as he raced to the burning home.
The video shows the chief trying to pound on doors to alert the family inside to the fire, but that didn’t work.
“There was not much time,” Weinberger said.
Smoke was pouring out of the home on Juniper Avenue. That’s when the chief decided to kick in the door to get inside the burning home.
He was yelling for the family to follow his voice to escape the smoke and flames. The father and daughter heard his voice and were able to escape.
“It was a relief, a relief,” Weinberger said. “You have to do everything you can.”
“Chad, the officer … pretty much saved our lives. … I can’t express how much I appreciate that,” said Douglas Franze, who was saved.
Franze spoke to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS after the fire happened a few weeks ago.
“I owe him the biggest hug. I swear to God, we have both of our lives to thank him for,” Franze said.
Franze and the chief have met up since then.
“He (Franze) made good on his word, he made good on his word,” Weinberger said. “He just about squeezed the breath out of me.”
It was a day on the job the chief won’t forget.
“I think we did alright,” Weinberger said.
The cause of the fire was determined to be electrical, according to investigators.