ST. CHARLES, Mo. – An off-duty St. Charles firefighter/paramedic is being credited with saving the lives of two people who were trapped inside a mobile home fire.

The St. Charles City Fire Department received word of a fire just after 6:35 a.m. Sunday in the 1500 block of Santa Barbara Drive. Firefighters were told people were trapped inside a residence at the Town West Mobile Home Park.

A St. Charles City police officer and an off-duty firefighter/paramedic were the first to respond. The officer and firefighter opened the front door to the mobile home and were met with a wall of thick smoke, leaving only eight inches of clearance from the floor.

The firefighter, Kevin Drury, called out to see if anyone was still inside and heard two people yelling back. Drury, who was on his way to work but didn’t have time to get his gear on, rushed into the burning mobile home and located a man on the floor.

Drury pulled the man by the feet to the front door, where the police officer helped get the man to his feet and to safety.

Drury went back into the home and found a woman. He also dragged her to the front door. The police officer helped the woman get away from the burning residence.

Additional first responders had arrived by this time and began treating the victims. Both were taken to a local hospital.

Drury was brought to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation and released.

“Firefighter/Paramedic Drury’s actions this morning without a doubt saved the lives of these two residents,” St. Charles Fire Chief George Sheets said. “We are very thankful that he and the police officer did not suffer any major injuries.”

Firefighters from the city fire department, Central County Fire and Rescue, and Cottleville Fire District put out the fire on the burning mobile home.