Dickson man dies from house fire, off-duty firefighter rushes in to help

A Dickson County man died from his injuries in a house fire Wednesday, but not before an off-duty City of Dickson fireman entered the home three times — the first two attempts without fire equipment.

Dickson Fire Department Lt. Jeff Salewsky and his family were driving on Hortense Road when they noticed the house fire. While Salewsky’s wife called 911, the lieutenant entered the home and was able to locate Alphonso Vaughn Sr. in a bedroom.

He was unable to remove Vaughn and had to exit the residence due to heat and smoke.

Salewsky, who is also a part-time corrections deputy with the sheriff’s office, reentered the residence again, trying to rescue the subject, but was unsuccessful.

Once other fire personnel arrived on scene, Salewsky utilized fire equipment and reentered the home for a third time to suppress the fire, according to officials.

Constable Richard Lee, who was also off duty, helped neighbor Thomas Robertson and Vaughn’s nephew, Richard Darden, tear a hole through the bedroom wall at the residence and remove Vaughn from the room, according to witnesses.

Sgt. James Bledsoe and Field Training Officer Nick Owens with the sheriff’s office were also on the scene. Fire investigators from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations arrived to assist detectives with the investigation, which is still ongoing at this time, according to officials.

Vaughn died from his injuries, according to the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Dickson man dies from house fire, off-duty firefighter rushes in to help