Men honored by fire group

STAFF REPORT

NILES — A Niles police officer and volunteer Weathersfield firefighter will be recognized by the Ohio State Fire Commission for pulling a man to safety after his house exploded.

The commission will honor Niles Patrolman Les Nagy and Weathersfield Fire Capt. Ray Knepper at a ceremony in Reynoldsburg on Sept. 11.

Niles Fire Chief Gary Brown nominated the two for the honor, telling the fire commission that Nagy was the first person on the scene of the 8 a.m. natural gas explosion at 103 Poplar St. in Niles on May 20, 2007.

Nagy, “with little regard for his own personal safety,” entered the residence after determining that the owner of the home, Louis Michaels, was still inside.

Nagy and Knepper, who was off duty but lived nearby, entered the burning home by kicking in the door and crawling on hands and knees to locate Michaels.

The two men pulled Michaels to safety as the first Niles firetrucks arrived, most likely saving Michaels’ life, the chief said.

“Due to the severity of smoke and fire at the residence and the threat of further explosions, I feel that the actions of [Nagy and Knepper] deserve the State Fire Marshall’s Award for Heroism,” the chief wrote.

Michaels was hospitalized with burns from the fire but has recovered, said Niles Fire Lt. George Sprague.

The explosion lifted the house off of its foundation, Sprague said. It and the resulting fire caused between $40,000 and $50,000 damage. The home was later razed, Sprague said.