Aurora Sergeant Rescued Firefighter From Burning Home, Wins Award

AURORA, IL—A lot of people were out of jobs last year, stuck at home and hoping to remain safe and sound. But, Aurora Police Department Sergeant Michael Corrigan was hard at work—work that earned him the shared title of 2020 Kane County Officer of the Year.

Corrigan was honored for his off-duty actions which ended up saving the life of an off-duty firefighter.

According to an Aurora police memo commending Corrigan, it was around 10:30 p.m. on July 3, 2020 when Corrigan was driving home from work and saw something completely unexpected.

When he entered his subdivision, Corrigan witnessed a large explosion in front of him that occurred at a nearby home. As he approached the area, he saw smoke, and a woman outside who was screaming for help. She told Corrigan that her husband was still inside the burning home.

Sgt. Corrigan jumped into action and immediately entered the smoke-filled house. He could see very little once inside the home, and began to have trouble breathing. Still, Corrigan called out for the missing man.

Aurora police said that after several attempts, the man answered Corrigan, but advised that he
was not coming out. When Corrigan told him that he was going to die if he did not agree to come out immediately, the man explained that he was an off duty fireman and that he "breathes smoke for a living."

Sgt. Corrigan was able to convince the man that he needed to leave the home immediately. Only then did the man then exit the room he was in, both completely naked and under the influence.

He made his way outside just as on-duty police and fire units were arriving on scene and was treated by on-scene medics.

An investigation revealed that the man had been lighting off fireworks earlier in the evening and scooped the debris up to deposit in his garbage can. He then went inside to shower, police said.

The garbage can was positioned next to the man's large cache of fireworks that he was planning to explode the following day. When the garbage can caught fire from the smoldering fireworks, the "Fourth of July came early and was celebrated inside his closed garage" causing the explosion and subsequent fire, Aurora police said.

“If Sgt. Corrigan had not been present and responded immediately and heroically; there may have been a grave ending for this off-duty fireman and his family on July 03, 2020," Aurora Lieutenant Steve Stemmet said. "Mike should be commended for his off duty actions in rescuing this man from his burning house while risking his own well-being.”