Milan student , Town Marshal honored for heroism during fire

(MILAN, Ind.) – Two people were honored for their heroic actions during the Milan Town Council meeting on Monday night. 

A fire occurred at an apartment complex on Maple Street around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, July 15. 

Town Marshal Terry Wilson raced to the scene, kicked in a door and rescued a woman from her burning apartment. That woman was rushed to a hospital and remains hospitalized.

“If she would have been in that apartment for 7 more minutes it would have been a fatality. Terry’s actions were nothing short of lifesaving,” said Milan Fire Chief Rod Johnson. 

His heroism inspired the fire department as well as the Town Council to recognize him during a surprise ceremony on Monday. 

Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones attended the council meeting and awarded Wilson with the prestigious Heroic Life Saving Award. 

The Indiana Volunteer Firefighters Association (IVFA) was also in attendance and presented Terry with the Life Saving Award. 

Wilson is the first local first responder to earn that IVFA award since Batesville firefighters Chris Baker, Ryan Reverman and Elizabeth Krutaupt received it in 2020. 

Milan Student Honored 

When that fire occurred, first responders were not initially aware of the actions of one of the tenants. 

16-year-old Bryce Blackburn is a Milan High School junior who resides with his parents at the apartment complex. 

He happened to be awake when the fire started and he smelled something burning. 

“At first, I didn’t think much of it, however, the carbon monoxide detector went off,” Blackburn told The 812. 

He went out into the hallway to find out what was happening and then he heard a fire alarm. 

Blackburn alerted his parents and then his immediate next actions went above-and-beyond. 

The teenager knocked on every door of the apartment complex to let all the tenants know. 

“Everyone got out except that one woman so I kept knocking on her door and was looking through the window trying to get her attention,” Blackburn recalled. 

It was just moments later when the Town Marshal arrived and kicked in that tenant's door. 

Fire Chief Johnson commended Blackburn’s actions and said he did the opposite of what a lot of people do nowadays. 

“We see so many people get involved with just their cell phones and they don’t fully step up like Bryce did. He played a major part in getting that building evacuated and we are honored that he is being recognized too,” Johnson said. 

On Monday, the Milan Fire Department honored Bryce with a plaque that reads, “Your actions made a difference.”

Key To The City 

Milan Town Council also took time to recognize Blackburn and Wlson during the meeting.

A proclamation declared August 10 as Town Marshal Wilson and Bryce Blackburn Day in the Town of Milan. 

The proclamation was unanimously approved and that was followed by Wilson and Blackburn being presented a Key To The City. 

Watch the proclamation here:

https://youtu.be/4QL_LOZGPfU