Body cam shows deputies using blanket to catch 5-year-old dropped out of Edgewood apartments fire

The Peoria County Sheriff’s Office released a bodycam video of deputies and residents catching a 5-year-old girl dropped out of the building during the fire at Edgewood Apartments on Tuesday.

According to a sheriff’s office Facebook post, deputies responded to the fire at approximately 10:25 p.m., and observed flames coming from the building’s roof.

The deputies learned a family of four was trapped on the third floor. They worked with others to use a blanket to catch the five-year-old who was dropped out of a third-story window. The parents lowered the girl out of the window after they saw people below with the blanket, said Sheriff Chris Watkins.

The local fire departments were able to respond and save the other three family members.

“This is such a great example of our first responders working with citizens in our community to save lives. As you can see and hear in the body-worn camera footage, this was a very intense situation. I am proud of everyone involved and thoughts and prayers for the families affected by this fire,” Watkins said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The Illinois State Fire Marshal is involved in the investigation.