Officers save family from car fire

CHILLICOTHE – A family of four was pulled from their smoking vehicle Wednesday evening by nearby police officers.

According to Capt. Keith Washburn, officers Matthew Howell and Benjamin Rhoads were on patrol in the city when a smoking Ford Explorer turned off of High Street onto West Second Street at 7:20 p.m.

"It was kind of funny the way it happened," Rhoads said. "Ofc. Howell thought it was the man's exhaust, but as we got closer, I saw flames underneath the vehicle."

Howell and Rhoads immediately assisted the family and got a man, woman and child out within seconds. The second child in the vehicle had to be cut from a car seat by Howell.

According to Rhoads, the driver of the car did not know the vehicle was on fire.

"That was being in the right place at the right time, and we had the fire department and police department available," Washburn said. "You could see the smoke on the whole street."

No one was injured and crews were able to put the flames out within minutes, Rhoads said. Washburn said volatile chemicals were in the vehicle. No cause of the fire has been released.