During an incident last Thursday that DuBois police describe as a suicide by chemical, the police chief had to be taken to the hospital after the fumes overcame him.
Thursday afternoon, DuBois police were called to a home along South Avenue for a report of a suicide attempt. Chief Blaine Clark told us that, before he knew it, the chemicals overtook him.
“Usually when you have an accidental release, you get that information up front. We didn’t have that information.”
And so, Clark made the call to go inside and try to rescue the woman.
“We made our way back to the back bedroom area, where the individual was to be located. I located her in the bathroom. The door’s locked. I made forcible entry. Immediately, within three to four seconds, I started getting lightheaded, dizzy, turned, made my way to the hallway. And that’s the last I remember until outside, I was laying on the front stoop looking up”
The woman ultimately died from the fumes. However, Clark told us he’s thankful that police corporal Orlando Prosper and Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy Bolom pulled him out, and for the EMS on scene.
“They saved my life. Literally, They pulled me out of that— that toxic-filled atmosphere.”
“They drug me out of the structure when, you know, in all sincerity, they could have and should have it, you know, evacuated, But then they immediately grabbed a hold of me and drug me out, you know, as they exited the structure too.”
Now he’s back in the office but still recovering, saying he feels “a lot better. Uh, not quite a hundred percent yet, but I’m getting there. Still a little tired and concerned [as] to what happened, but I’m getting there.”