Sverdlovsk police officers saved a family that nearly died in a fire.

      Officers of the State Traffic Inspectorate in the settlement of Shalya rescued an elderly married couple from a burning house during a night patrol. The incident occurred on December 28, 2025.

      During their shift the inspectors noticed thick smoke and, arriving at the scene, found a fire in an extension to the residential building — the flames had already engulfed the roof and begun spreading to the main structure. The DPS crew included head of the State Traffic Inspectorate station, Police Captain Anatoly Burtsev, and DPS unit commander, Police Lieutenant Nikita Gordeev.

      Assessing the danger, the traffic officers promptly reported the fire to the fire service and began evacuating the residents. To wake the homeowners, the officers started knocking on the windows. The awakened elderly man and woman opened a window through which the officers helped them get out of the house.

      As a result of the officers’ coordinated actions, a 66-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman were rescued. They were immediately taken to a safe distance. Arriving fire crews contained and fully extinguished the blaze.

      The victims expressed their gratitude to the State Traffic Inspectorate officers for their promptness, decisiveness, and professionalism, which prevented a tragedy.