Police in New York released body cam footage of three senior citizens in Chinatown being rescued from a 6-story apartment fire.
Those rescued were 99, 96 and 91 years old, reported Fox5.
“I remember very specifically a guy walked up to me and said, ‘Mommy Mommy—6th floor’ and at that point I knew we had to get up there,” recalled 16-year veteran NYPD officer Jeremy Banfield.
The officers are all stationed literally across the street from the apartment and didn’t hesitate. They all knew if they didn’t act fast there would be casualties. They also knew the apartment building housed a number of senior citizens who likely couldn’t save themselves.
“I put my hand on the glass. I look and see pitch black smoke inside, it’s hot, and I’m like this is hot, this is going to something else, soon,” said NYPD Detective Rodney Rosado said to ABC7.
“And at that point he said, ‘listen it’s hot and there’s a lot of people upstairs, we have to get them out.’ And that’s what we did,” Banfield said.
The fire happened a week ago. All those rescued refused medical treatment.
“When I got to the fourth floor, I saw two of our other officers, and an elderly man on the ground,” Sgt William Dottavio said to CBS New York. The officers quickly carried the man out to safety.
All the officers involved said there was never a question about what they needed to do.
“At the time, there really isn’t any fear. It’s just like, I gotta get to work. I gotta help. I gotta do whatever I can, you know, because some people’s lives are at risk,” Dottavio said.
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