An officer with the Windsor Police Amherstburg detachment has a 2023 Ontario Medal for Police Bravery after he rescued a man from a fire last summer.
Sergeant Matt Capel-Cure was the first on the scene early the morning of June 3, 2023, after a vehicle crashed into a home on County Road 18, severing the gas line.
Flames had engulfed the home and vehicle, and the driver was lying nearby with severe burns.
Capel-Cure didn't hesitate to move the man to a place of safety despite the raging fire.
The fire destroyed the home, and the driver was airlifted to Sunnybrook Hospital for treatment.
Capel-Cure received the medal on Monday night at an awards ceremony in Toronto.
"I can't think of anything to say that would be worthy of this award," he said. "To receive it and be recognized for one's actions when officers are out there every day doing extraordinary things is humbling."
The Ontario Medal for Police Bravery is awarded every year to officers for acts of extraordinary courage and bravery.
"Sergeant Capel-Cure's response demonstrated exceptional bravery and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others," said Windsor Police Chief Jason Bellaire. "In a terrifying situation, he ran towards the danger."
He also received the Windsor Police Award of Valour last month.
Capel-Cure joined the Amherstburg Police Service in 2000. In 2010, he was promoted to Sergeant and became a member of the Windsor Police Service in 2019, when it took over policing responsibilities in the town.