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"There's a child inside. Heavy smoke," the police officer yells as they search for a way inside the burning South Hedland home.
When police were called to the house on March 27, they quickly realised an eight-year-old boy named Liam was still stuck inside.
Body camera footage shows thick grey-black smoke pouring from the windows and officers frantically running around and giving instructions to residents.
"Hey, back off. Back off. Back off," they tell one person who gets too close.
Police smash one window and try and get in.
"Liam, call out," they shout into the house.
"Liam, where are you?"
As the smoke pushes them back, the officer wearing the camera runs around to the front and radios back to the station.
"We've got a child, Liam, apparently still inside," he says.
He runs around to the front of the house, calling for a hose.
Meanwhile another officer has managed to get inside and into a room.
"I got him. I've got the boy," the officer shouts above the noise of the burning home and chaos.
"Get me urgent assistance," he says as the boy is carried out, limp, to the front roadway.
Liam was able to be revived and has since made a full recovery.
"A great story, he's been able to return to good health," Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said.
Commissioner Dawson also praised the "very, very brave action taken by South Hedland police officers".
He said it was a tremendous example of police doing their duty during the coronavirus state of emergency.
"That's what the public expect, it's certainly what I expect," he said.
Major Crime Division detectives have charged an 18-year-old man from South Hedland with criminal damage by fire and acts or omission causing bodily harm or danger.
Topics: fires, police, human-interest, south-hedland-6722, wa
First posted