Police officer rescues 8 people from inside burning duplex in Bucks County, officials say

PENNDEL, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Penndel Borough police officer is being praised for his quick actions after authorities say he rescued eight people from a burning home early Thursday morning.

Officer Sean Peck, who has been an officer for 6 years, was working an overnight shift when he noticed a house across from the station on fire around 4:45 a.m. Peck immediately ran toward the home on West Woodland Avenue, where a family was asleep inside.

"I did this job to help people, and when I get to do stuff like this, it's very satisfying," Peck said.

Peck said he heard neighbor, Justin Ritorto, knocking and shouting to alert the residents. He then entered the smoke-filled home to wake the family.

"I started waking up all of the people inside, and it was a chaotic scene as you can imagine, trying to wake people up at 4 a.m., and there is a massive fire going on," Peck said.

Three children and five adults were able to escape safely before firefighters arrived.

Penndel Police Chief Sean Perry commended the 31-year-old officer for his quick, selfless response.

"If he didn't see it when he did, the house probably would have gone fully up, and good chance nobody would have made it out," Perry said.

Peck emphasized that the rescue was a collaborative effort involving Ritorto, the volunteer fire company and fellow officers.

"I would do this for any person that I didn't know, but knowing that it's a family I have that personal rapport with, it means the world to me," he said.

Peck said his desire to serve began in first grade after the 9/11 attacks, a motivation that continues to guide him.

"I was always inspired to help people by those 9/11 first responders, and then right out of high school, I joined the military," he said. "If I could just be 1% as good as those people I got to serve with and now I get to serve with, I'll be a very happy person."

A teenager who lives in the home told Action News that banging on the door is what startled her awake, and she heard Officer Peck yelling, "Fire!"

While she and her family made it out, she says her pet bunny did not survive.

Peck said he is now launching a GoFundMe to support the displaced family. The Red Cross is currently assisting them.

Investigators determined on Friday that the fire was caused by an unattended fire pit in the backyard, which ignited nearby combustibles and spread to the house.