Brookhaven honors two officers for June apartment rescue
September 10, 2025 | Brookhaven, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
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Brookhaven Borough presented valor awards to Acting Sergeant Gregory Martin and Officer Adam Viola on Sept. 2025 for their roles in rescuing a resident from a burning apartment in the 7100 block of Hilltop Drive on June 4, 2025.
The rescue occurred at approximately 2:38 a.m., borough officials said. Acting Sgt. Martin and Officer Viola entered a unit with heavy smoke and fire after learning a person was trapped near the front door; they located the male resident semi-conscious and suffering burns and cuts to his lower extremities and removed him from the unit. The resident was transported to Lankenau Medical Center and, according to the chief, has since made a complete recovery.
The borough police chief praised the officers’ actions at the council meeting. “These officers showed true heroism and true courage in the face of danger,” the chief said, adding the rescue helped prevent greater injury and property loss. The chief noted mutual-aid fire companies and the borough’s volunteer fire company later mitigated the blaze and limited property damage to the single unit.
State Representative Diane Kruger attended the meeting and presented citations. “Even when I’m at the capitol, I’m paying attention to what’s happening at home,” Kruger said. “Thank you both of you for your service.”
Council and fire officials described the incident as a coordinated response by police and volunteer firefighters that limited harm to residents and buildings. Fire department officials said the fire was contained to one unit; several adjacent units sustained smoke or water damage but no other injuries were reported.
The borough invited the rescued resident back to the meeting to thank the officers, and the council formally recognized Martin and Viola with valor awards and citations from the representative.
Background details on the June 4 response — including the initial dispatch time, the on-scene sequence described by the chief, the ambulance transport to Lankenau Medical Center and that several mutual-aid departments assisted — were read into the record at the Sept. 2025 meeting.
The rescue occurred at approximately 2:38 a.m., borough officials said. Acting Sgt. Martin and Officer Viola entered a unit with heavy smoke and fire after learning a person was trapped near the front door; they located the male resident semi-conscious and suffering burns and cuts to his lower extremities and removed him from the unit. The resident was transported to Lankenau Medical Center and, according to the chief, has since made a complete recovery.
The borough police chief praised the officers’ actions at the council meeting. “These officers showed true heroism and true courage in the face of danger,” the chief said, adding the rescue helped prevent greater injury and property loss. The chief noted mutual-aid fire companies and the borough’s volunteer fire company later mitigated the blaze and limited property damage to the single unit.
State Representative Diane Kruger attended the meeting and presented citations. “Even when I’m at the capitol, I’m paying attention to what’s happening at home,” Kruger said. “Thank you both of you for your service.”
Council and fire officials described the incident as a coordinated response by police and volunteer firefighters that limited harm to residents and buildings. Fire department officials said the fire was contained to one unit; several adjacent units sustained smoke or water damage but no other injuries were reported.
The borough invited the rescued resident back to the meeting to thank the officers, and the council formally recognized Martin and Viola with valor awards and citations from the representative.
Background details on the June 4 response — including the initial dispatch time, the on-scene sequence described by the chief, the ambulance transport to Lankenau Medical Center and that several mutual-aid departments assisted — were read into the record at the Sept. 2025 meeting.
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