Porter County, Indiana Sheriff's Officer Gets Medal Of Honor For Rescue Efforts After House Explosion

VALPARAISO, Ind. (CBS) -- A Porter County, Indiana sheriff's officer called it nothing short of a miracle that he was nearby when a gas explosion leveled a house.

His body camera was rolling as he ran to help.

Porter, Indiana Fire Chief Jay Craig said at the time of the explosion in September that a 3-year-old girl was trapped inside the house when crews arrived.

Lt. Kevin Van Kley heard the call over the scanner and rushed to the scene. First, he pulled a young child to safety after finding the child pinned in the rubble.

Also during the search, Craig said firefighters found a woman who was trapped in the house. Van Kley helped free the woman who was trapped under a collapsed section of a roof.

This week, Lt. Van Kley was honored by the Porter County Sheriff David Reynolds for his lifesaving actions, with a medal of honor.

Only three officers in the department's history have been given that award.

Also From CBS Chicago:

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.