A western Wisconsin family is alive thanks to the Village of Elk Mound’s police chief kicking in a door to save them from a fire burning in their home.

“One person was still sleeping when the fire started and the other person was in the basement, so they did not hear the smoke detectors going off,” Elk Mound Assistant Fire Chief Larry Zais told WQOW-TV. “Fortunate enough that a village employee noticed. He contacted the village police chief who came here and knocked on the doors and actually kicked doors in to alert the people inside. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think they would’ve gotten out at all.”

Douglas Franze and his daughter returned to see what’s left of their burned home in Dunn County.

“It’s hard. It’s hard. It keeps bringing back memories of what could have happened,” Franze said.

“The timing of everything, the chain of events, all these things had to kind of work together in synergy,” said Kevin Garnett, an Elk Mound Public Works employee.

Garnett got a call from a friend who spotted smoke coming from a home on Juniper Street on Wednesday afternoon. Garnett and a coworker rushed over from a few blocks away to check it out.

“Lots of adrenaline,” Garnett recalled as he and a coworker tried to alert the family. ” He banged on the service door, and I banged on the window and front door.”

Garnett had also notified Elk Mound’s Police Chief Chad Weinberger about the fire, as they waited for fire fighters.

“Thank god he was on duty that day. Had he not been on duty, I’m sure it would have had a different outcome,” said neighbor Tammy Dahlby.

From across the street she saw Chief Weinberger kick in the door.

“I was about to go wet down a towel so he could put it on his face — he didn’t have anything to help him breathe from smoke. I saw him come out, and the people behind him,” Dahlby said.

“Chad, the officer who pretty much saved our lives, I couldn’t express how much I appreciate that,” Franze said.

He works overnights and was asleep Wednesday afternoon.

Franze’s daughter was in another part of the house as the fire grew.

“He kicked in the door, said, ‘Get out now.’ I grabbed my daughter and we got out,” Franze said.

The Elk Mound Police Department said the chief wasn’t available to connect with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS on Friday about the rescue. Franze has yet to connect with the chief.

“The next time I see him I’m going to give him the biggest hug, I swear to God,” Franze said. “We have both of our lives to thank him for.”

Franze was thankful for other folks in community who have rallied around his family to help in their time of need after losing their home.

The fire remains under investigation.