Police Department Recognizes Explosion Heroes

Praised for rescuing an elderly woman, James Greenway, Kate Sikora and Oakland County Sheriff's Office Detective Sgt. Greg Glover received a Royal Oak Police Department Citizen Award for their actions following a house explosion on Feb. 27.

Royal Oak Police Chief Corrigan O'Donohue presented a certificate to each at Monday's City Commission meeting.

Greenway, a 2012 Royal Oak High School graduate and an Eagle Scout, was working at Joe's Army Navy when the incident occurred. The explosion blew out the window at the army surplus shop.

"James heard a woman crying for help," said O'Donohue. "He entered the unstable structure through a hole in the wall and located an elderly woman buried under the rubble."

He was able to bring the woman, who said she was the only person in the home, out to safety with the help of Glover and Sikora.

"Kate tended to her wounds, which thankfully were not serious," the chief said.

"These recipients entered a dangerous and extremely volitile environment with no personal protection equipment and without regard for their personal safety to rescue an elderly woman," O'Donohue said.

Cooper Avenue neighbors, Nicholas Sikora and Christopher Chase, and Carl Vargo, who was babysitting his grandchildren across the street, also received certificates for their actions.