A master deputy with the York-Poquoson Sheriff’s Office led a York County homeowner to safety after her house caught fire Saturday afternoon.
Master Deputy Ben Howlett was on duty in the Dare area of the county around 1:30 p.m. when York County Department of Fire & Life Safety crews were dispatched to a house fire, the sheriff’s office said on Facebook.
Howlett was in the same area at the time and headed toward the scene. Initial information indicated the homeowner would be outside the home when he arrived.
Howlett arrived six minutes after the call came through, but did not find the homeowner outside. He “immediately” entered the house, which was filled with smoke, and found the homeowner sitting in the living room.
The homeowner wanted to retrieve some of her possessions, the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post.
“Master Deputy Howlett knew that she had been in there too long. He led her outside to safety,” the post reads.
Emergency medical personnel treated the homeowner when they arrived.
“They said that if it had been another minute, and without the quick actions of Master Deputy Howlett, the outcome could have been much different,” the sheriff’s office said.
