Astoria, OR – Astoria Police Department officials released the following statement:
“On January 30, 2024, The Astoria Emergency Communications Center received a report of a house on fire at 66 W. Bond Street. Officer Alex Whitney and Sergeant Jair Macareno responded to the fire call, arriving within two minutes of the dispatch.
The officers found the residence at 66 W. Bond already engulfed in flames. After ensuring all occupants were out of that residence, Officer Whitney and Sergeant Macareno attempted contact at the door of 64 W. Bond, which had fire spreading to the side of the residence.
Receiving no response, and though the flames were intense near the front door of this residence, Sergeant Macareno kicked in the door to the residence and he and Officer Whitney began searching for occupants as the fire raged next door. Officer Whitney located the lone occupant in the basement and the officers evacuated him.
The occupant, Rick Lopatin, sent a note to the Astoria Police Department thanking these officers for their fast response to the fire and “Especially to the Officer who kicked my door in and woke me up. Thank you for saving my life.”
