Watch as Michigan police officers rescue an elderly couple from a messy, burning house

Four Michigan police officers broke down the door of a burning home early Wednesday to rescue a couple in their 70s who were still inside.

The rescue occurred around 1 a.m. when Plymouth Township police officers were first on the scene of a house fire. WXYZ-TV reports. Once they arrived home, a sergeant who had been a college football player lowered his shoulder to break down the door.

Smoke poured from the house and four officers took turns searching for people inside. Officers’ body camera footage captured not only the fire, but also the severe hoarding in the home.

“There was a lot of clutter near the front door,” Police Chief James Knittel told the news station. “It made it very difficult for our first responders to get in.”

To reach the elderly man and woman, an officer had to remove a heavy grandfather clock. The man told police he couldn’t walk, and an officer told him to crawl.

After the man was brought to safety, officers started looking for his wife. She was found among the rubbish and rescued.

“To see them work as a team and achieve such a goal, saving two of our citizens, is just fantastic to me,” Knittel said. “I was just blown away. These officers put their lives in danger for these residents – all four at different times.”

“Watching the body camera footage brought tears to my eyes,” he added. “We come to work every day as police officers, we take an oath, raise our right hand, protect and serve. And that those officers save the lives of those people, our residents, I couldn’t be more proud.”