Arlington firefighters recognized for saving 65-year-old man from burning apartment

ARLINGTON, Texas – An Arlington man had the chance to thank the crew that saved him from a burning apartment complex earlier this year.

For their efforts, they received a life-saving award during a ceremony on Thursday.

A kitchen fire burned the interior of a unit at South Point Apartments on March 15.

An automatic sprinkler system extinguished the flames. Arlington firefighters who responded to the scene were initially fired.

“When the first truck arrived, maintenance personnel said it was a false alarm,” recalled Arlington Deputy Fire Chief Brent Shanklin. “The first truck ignored the second truck, but remained on scene to verify that no incident had occurred.”

But the firefighters’ intuition to check again and the team effort of the Engine 13 crew are the reasons Shoney Singh is alive today.

“The doctors told me I had inhaled a lot of smoke and they had to resuscitate me thanks to these wonderful people,” Singh said.

The 65-year-old man was sleeping in a bedroom. The flames never left the kitchen, but there was a lot of smoke throughout the residence.

“There was definitely a fire in the kitchen. All the cabinets were burned. It had burned inside the kitchen,” Arlington Fire Lt. Michelle Dereta explained. “We were doing our search after we knew the fire was under control. That’s when we found him unconscious. That’s when I asked for the victim to be removed.”

The entire crew will receive the city award for their efforts.

Singh remained in hospital for 14 days.

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“Since that incident, I don’t think there’s been a day that I don’t thank God for them, for these people, because they do a wonderful job,” he said.

Singh still lives in the complex, in a different building and with a new life.

“I’m doing great. I’m wonderful. I’m really doing well,” he said. “I have to thank God that nothing serious happened to me and that the response was very quick. These people and what they did for me have no after-effects, so I’m doing great. I’m blessed!”

The crew lieutenant says they have been to the resort several times since the fire and each time they make sure Mr Singh is OK.