November 2, 2024 - Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Troopers responded to a house fire on State Highway 87 North on October 16, 2024, when it was reported that an individual was trapped inside the home.
Shelby County Today recently obtained the body cam footage of the Trooper who first responded to the house fire and his heroic actions that saved the life of the young man trapped inside.
The perspective of the video shows Texas DPS Trooper Taylor Buster’s view as he first responds to the location and exits the vehicle. Flames and heavy smoke can be seen emanating from the front of the structure as Trooper Buster exits his patrol unit and begins running toward the fire, and entering the first available doorway that isn’t engulfed in flames while calling out to the occupant inside.
The first room appeared to be a utility room that didn’t provide access to the rest of the building and Trooper Buster can be seen promptly exiting that location to find another entrance. As Trooper Buster ran around to the backside of the house he can be heard shouting, “Hey, there’s somebody in here still!”
When Trooper Buster gets closer to the back door, the smoke in the air gets thicker. The caller inside the home was originally dispatched to responders as being a woman, and so Trooper Buster can be heard calling out, “Ma’am,” to try and locate the person trapped inside. Upon arriving at the back door, Trooper Buster kicked it in and shouts, “Ma’am, are you in here?!”
In response, the young man inside can be heard shouting, “Help!” He was instructed by Trooper Buster to come to the door. Trooper Buster asked the occupant if he could see him, to which he responded, “No.” That’s when Trooper Buster began to crawl into the inside of the home, as thick black smoke filled the upper area of the house. Once inside the back room of the home, it appeared there was another door that was blocked by items which Trooper Buster pulled out of the way. He then took the young man by the hand and helped him out the back doorway where Cole Milford assisted.
The young man was examined by EMS personnel at the scene and was later hospitalized for a short period of time.
Excessive damage to the home was incurred due to the fire.
Additional responders to the scene were other DPS units, Center Fire Department, Timpson Volunteer Fire Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Department, Constable Precinct 4, and Constable Precinct 3.
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