Drone captures sky-high view of intense house fire
Now, a video documenting fire from a bird's-eye view has been released by the city's fire department.
The video was shot using the latest tool in the department's arsenal, a miniature unmanned flying vehicle.
On
Built in 1929, the structure, home to its occupants for more than 30 years, was a total loss.
"I was asleep on the bed,"
Churchwell and his wife,
"I realized the whole ceiling was on fire," he said. "It was all fire."
They evacuated the home through a back door and, after opening the rear entrance, a 15-foot flame exited the building and lit his truck on fire.
"It was like a scene from that movie 'Backdraft,' " Churchwell said.
As firefighters battled the blaze, firefighter
As a member of the department's Emergency Robotics Deployment Team, Periut captured unique views of the local firefighters battling the flames with a ladder truck, and photographed heavy smoke as it billowed high above the
The structure's occupants made it out of the home in time, but two of their three animals died.
All of the family's processions were destroyed in the fire. Both of the family's vehicles were scorched, all of their medication, breathing respirators, oxygen tanks and a large collection of antiques were all destroyed by the flames.
"We are alive and insurance is going to cover us," Churchwell said. "We need a new place to live, but we are still alive."
Cobb said the aerial footage will be used by the department for review and training purposes.
"This is an invaluable tool," Cobb said of the drone.
Unmanned drones are growing in use by first responders across the planet.
In January, two teenagers of the coast of
The
Lifesavers instantly sent the drone to drop an inflatable rescue pod, and the pair, aged 15 and 17, made their way safely to shore with the help of the life raft.
"The Little Ripper UAV certainly proved itself today, it is an amazingly efficient piece of lifesaving equipment and a delight to fly," lifeguard supervisor
Cobb said the department's vehicle, a smaller machine than the one used in
Periut, a full-time firefighter, is the department's sole pilot certified by the
A GoFundMe account created by the Churchwells' niece,
Visit https://www.gofundme.com/a-complete-loss to make a donation.
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