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Officers Rescue 7, Including Baby, From Clearwater Fire

Photo provided by Aemonn Kneeshaw

There's no word on what caused the fire at this duplex.

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By DAVE NICHOLSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 13, 2008

CLEARWATER - An officer who helped rescue seven people, including a baby, from a burning duplex this morning described a scene of smoke, flames and cries for help.

Officer Nick Giordano said he and three other officers found part of the duplex on Jupiter Avenue in flames and people "screaming inside." He smashed a window on one side of the duplex and he and Officer Doug Bailey pulled five people, starting with a baby, to safety about 4:25 a.m. Giordano, a full-time officer for two years, said he took 9-month-old Evelin Martinez-Dothe to his patrol car while the others were being rescued.

Officers Chris Lyons and Dave Marshall went to the other side of the duplex, kicked in a door, and helped a woman and her 11-year-old daughter outside.

No one was injured and the fire at 220 and 222 N. Jupiter Ave. was quickly put out.

"If it was not for these police officers, we would have been taking a lot of people to the hospital," Operations Chief Richard Riley said in a statement.

None of the officers was injured in the rescue.

The officers noticed the fire at 220 N. Jupiter while they were on patrol and the fire was contained to that unit. The unit at 222 N. Jupiter had smoke damage.

Those rescued from 220 N. Jupiter included: the baby; Evelin Martinez-Dothe; Luis Antonio Godho-Dothe, 21; Maria Estela Dothe Pena, 24; Patricio Dothe-Pena, 20; and Armando Noel Martinez, 19.
The occupants of 222 N. Jupiter included Heather D. Mount, 32, and her 11-year-old daughter Bianca.

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