Off Duty Firefighter Caught Baby In Desperate Mom’s Jump

Photo of Vernon Lane from the Chattanooga Fire Department’s Facebook page. In addition, smoke detectors did not go off. Officials say more than a dozen residents were displaced by the fire, which caused extensive damage and destroyed multiple units.

Both Lane and the woman lived in the building that caught on fire.

Lane said he had grabbed some of his things from the burning building and put them in his truck and was in the process of returning to retrieve more when he noticed a woman hanging from a building.

Then, he slipped out of her hands.

“As I proceeded to the building, the baby got released from the top of the building, and I dove into the bushes to grab the baby”, he said.

Lt. Lane said he just leaped in the direction of the baby and caught him in his arms.

Moments later, the child’s mother jumped from the window, and Lt. Lane broke her fall.

Garner says the mother and child are being assessed at a hospital, but their injuries aren’t considered life-threatening. Garner says new information obtained by fire investigators reveals that an off-duty Chattanooga firefighter captured the baby after it was dropped by the mother.

He fell to the ground in catching it.

Miraculously, no one else in the apartment complex was hurt. Lt. Henry McElvain is assisting with the investigation.

Unfortunately for Lane, his apartment was burned in the blaze and he lost his possessions.

Lane is now being called a hero and he said his 15 years as a firefighter sharpened his instincts.