RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Body camera video captured the moments on Sunday morning when a Riviera Beach officer helped a family of four escape their home after their truck caught fire.
Officer Andrew Hinds spoke with WPTV reporter Zitlali Solache about how it all happened.
WATCH BELOW: Officers alert family after truck fire threatens home
Hinds called it a case of being at the right place, at the right time.
"Honestly, I'm just relieved that everybody got out and it didn’t spread anymore," said Hinds.
Hinds was on regular patrol duty at about 10 a.m. when he noticed smoke.
"While we were doing traffic, we looked up and saw smoke coming from a house," said Hinds.
Officers rushed towards the house and found a truck engulfed in flames.
"Residents were flagging us down, telling us there were people inside; some small kids and a family," said Hinds.
Hinds was the one to call dispatch and notify them of the truck fire. Officers rushed to the door and began knocking before the fire spread.
"Your house, look! It's going to be set on fire! Anybody else in the house? Get them out. Everybody out! Everybody out! Hurry up, get out," Hinds could be heard telling the family inside the home. "Go go go go go!"
Hinds said the family of four was asleep and unaware of the flames. His priority was to rush them to safety.
"Honestly, you could hear the crackling from the car going on fire," said Hinds. "In my mind, I'm like, OK, they probably have gas in there. I don't know how long I have to hurry everybody out. This thing might explode."
The family was comforted by neighbors as firefighters put the flames out.
Although the truck was destroyed, for Hinds, it's a day when their presence mattered most.
"I would hate to even think about what would happen if we didn't see the fire," said Hinds. "So it was nice that we just happened to be at the right time at the right place."
