FULLERTON : State Fire Group Honors Police Heroes

Two police officers have received the California State Firemen’s Assn. Award of Valor for helping rescue a woman who had been left tied up in a burning apartment.

Sgt. Doug Cave and Officer Bob Booth were credited with rescuing Hemangini Ladva on July 23, 1990. The two were dispatched to an apartment complex in the 2400 block of East Nutwood Avenue to investigate reports of a woman screaming.

When they arrived, smoke was billowing out of the front door. They forced open the door and found the living room filled with smoke.

Booth dropped to his knees to search for the woman, but had to turn back when he suffered burns on his left hand and was overwhelmed by the smoke.

Cave then went in and found Ladva on the floor of the living room with her hands and feet bound with tape. Cave picked up Ladva and, using Booth’s voice as a guide, carried her outside to safety. Ladva was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Vinay Gandhi, Ladva’s estranged husband, was charged with attempted murder and arson shortly after the fire, but a Municipal Court judge dropped the charges for lack of evidence.

Gandhi’s co-workers testified that he was at work in Lynwood 20 minutes after the fire started. His attorney argued that it was not enough time to drive from Fullerton to Lynwood.

Cave, 34, and Booth, 46, received the awards at the association’s annual conference in Sacramento.