Off-duty officer speaks out after saving mom, 2 daughters from fire
By Michelle Charlesworth
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STATEN ISLAND, New York (WABC) — A daring rescue was caught on camera when an off-duty officer ripped down a fence to get into a back yard to help save two girls and their mother from a fire.
The fire happened last Wednesday on Rensselaer Avenue, but the heroic officer, Lt. James Heinz, spoke out about the rescue on Monday.
“The front door was already up in flames, I couldn’t get in, so I was trying to run down the driveway and there’s a fence in the back yard, you heard people yelling so I knew people were inside, so I had to break down their fence,” Heinz said.
Heinz tore down the fence and then ripped out a window – all with his bare hands – to get the girls out of the burning house.
“The two kids were inside and we ripped out that window and just took them right out that window,” Heinz said.
The two girls, ages 5 and 11, a mom, grandmother and adult son were all safe.
Tragically before the fire, the family lost their patriarch, and his remains were another worry, but the ashes were later recovered.
While Heinz is a police officer, he is not a firefighter.
“I have 13 years of experience, you never know what when the day is gonna come,” he said. “No time to panic, it’s just…you had to act.”
By the way, he did it in short sleeves, and apparently it’s in his blood.
“Ironically enough, my brother is a fireman and he actually responded,” Heinz said.
The little girls also were heroic and grabbed their uncle.
“From what I understand, one the little girls alerted him first, luckily she alerted them and they tried to put it out first and it spread,” Heinz said.
Heinz said quick thinking and quick action is just what they do.
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