Fire Rescue Caught on Tape

A New York City man is being called a hero after he rescued a young boy trapped in a burning building. The dramatic incident was caught on tape yesterday.

When Billy Cretan saw smoke and flames pouring from an apartment near his store, his instincts took over.

"I kicked in gear, put the ladder down and went upstairs and I did the best I could," he told WCBS TV's Katherine Brown.

Cretan climbed into the burning building through the fire escape and found 4-year-old Christopher Ramcharran choking on smoke.

He used his body to shield the boy from smoke and flames and carried his limp body down the fire escape. Emergency crews were waiting and immediately began giving Ramcharran oxygen. His 12-year-old brother looked on horrified.

Watch the family's reaction to the Good Samaritan's heroic rescue that saved Ramcharran's life, below.