Holliston Pair Rescued From House Fire

HOLLISTON, MA — A house fire in Holliston over the weekend left a 78-year-old woman and an 81-year-old man trapped on the second floor, until police came to their rescue. The pair were pulled from the window and onto the garage roof by two Holliston police officers. Both people were hospitalized as well as the two officers.

Police were called to the home on Carl Road at 5:45 a.m. on Sunday for a house fire. Smoke billowed from the home and the woman and man inside were calling for help from an upstairs window, police said. The heavy smoke made the front entrance impassable — officers found a ladder on the property and used it to get to the pair in the window.

The man was pulled from the window by the officer, onto the roof of the attached garage that was below the window.

Rescue crews tried to get the woman out of the home both from the inside and outside but nothing worked until they pulled her from the same bedroom window and down the ladder, onto the garage roof. The man and woman were first taken to MetroWest Medical Center and then to Mass General for further treatment.

The two officers were taken to MetroWest Medical Center for treatment and released the same day — one firefighter was treated for a hand injury at the scene.

Holliston Police Chief Matthew Stone praised the officers and fire crews for their work saving the pair. "This is a shining example of our officers taking swift action to help save lives," Stone said.

Fire officials said they found the fire in the basement and put it out once the residents were safely out of the home. The cause of the fire is under investigation.