NYPD officers tell of dramatic rescue of 3 elderly residents from Chinatown building fire
NEW YORK -- CBS New York heard Tuesday from NYPD officers who saved three elderly residents from a fire at a building in Chinatown.
Police body camera video shows the officers rushing inside to evacuate residents.
"We immediately looked at each other, really didn't have any verbal communication," Officer William Finan said.
Just like that a week ago, officers from the 5th Precinct jumped into action and carried residents out of an Elizabeth Street building that happened to be right across the street from their precinct.
"Smoke started to come upstairs a little heavier as we started going in," Officer Rodney Rosado said.
Rosado, Finan and Sgt. William Dottavio said they knew every second mattered as they climbed those stairs.
"When I got to the fourth floor, I saw two of our other officers, and an elderly man on the ground," Dottavio said.
That man was carried out safely.
"I know it's a lot of elderly residents in the building on some of the floors," Rosado said.
But there were more to be rescued in the building as the smoke spread.
"Realizing that there was people in bed that can't get out," Rosado said.
The officers found a 96-year-old man, a 91-year-old man and a 99-year-old woman who needed help getting out.
"The smoke condition was starting to rise. We decided to use the buddy system and carry her out," Finan said.
The officers carried all three residents down flights of stairs and outside to waiting EMS crews.
"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.
All three of those building residents refused medical attention and are expected to be okay. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
