CHILLIOTHE – A man set fire to his home then barricaded himself inside yesterday, police and fire departments tried desperately to save the man even suffering injuries themselves.
A call came into the 911 system just after 11:oo am on Thursday Febuary 14, 2019. When police arrived at 642 Pine Street a unidentified woman said that 58 year old Daniel Chaney was still inside the home. The officers on scene rushed in to save Chaney because the smoke wasn’t too bad to safely enter at the time. The issue was Chaney had barricaded himself into a back bedroom of the home.
According to scanner information, police tried several times to break down the door in the bedroom but kept having to come out side to get air. “One officer said, I need oxygen.”
A statement from Police Chief Washburn posted on the Chillicothe Gazette said, “Thick black smoke took over and there’s no way they could get back in.”
Firefighters arrived shortly after the officers attempts to gain access to Chaney, and were able to get him out after extinguishing the fire that was in the same room as he was. According to witnesses on scene Chaney was unconscious when they removed him from the home.
Officer McGowan was sent to Adena Hospital for smoke inhalation and released. The other two officers were sent to Adena but were released with no injuries. Chaney was taken to OSU Hospital in Columbus, no information on his condition at this time.
Police and Fire Marshalls are still investigating this incident.
