ALLENDALE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jan. 25, 2022) – A 37-year-old Allendale man was critically injured when his barn caught on fire just before Christmas, and a month later, the deputy who saved his life was honored.
According to Ottawa County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Eric Westveer, deputies and other first responders were dispatched to the area of 52nd Avenue and Jordan Street on December 23rd on a report that a barn had exploded and a man was trapped inside. With the help of neighbors, rescuers were able to spot Carl Beintema in the barn and remove him, administering first aid at the scene before he was taken to Corewell-Butterworth Hospital for treatment. There were no other persons inside at the time, and the blaze was extinguished by crews from the Allendale Fire Department without any reported injuries. Westveer added that investigators didn’t initially believe that the cause of the fire appeared to be suspicious.
On Tuesday, an emotional Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Kempker honored Deputy Joe Rohloff, who pulled Beintema to safety, during the biweekly Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting.
Audio PlayerBeintema’s wife Ashleigh spoke via a ZOOM connection from a hospital room at Corewell-Butterworth.
Audio Player
Comments