A false alarm at a Bronx school early Saturday morning led to the rescue of three children from a burning apartment building.
FDNY firefighters were called to an alarm at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary School around 5 a.m., just a few doors down from an apartment building where they rescued the three girls ages 14, 9 and 5, according to The Daily News.
Officials told the newspaper that it was a perfect accident that the children were found.
Firefighters at the school noticed police had responded to another incident nearby involving a woman who was assaulted and a crew from Engine 75 stuck around after they determined the school was safe in case the officers needed help.
As a firefighter parked the engine near West 183rd Street, he heard a window smashed and saw there was heavy smoke coming from a first-floor unit of an apartment building, Battalion 19 Chief Thomas Riley told the newspaper.
Because the nearest hydrant was dead, they were forced to stretch about 400 feet of hose to another one as a crew from Ladder 33 made their way into the unit.
They encountered intense flames when they entered after breaking through the door.
Firefighter Brian McGowan suddenly heard the screams for help and found the three girls crying in a bedroom.
McGowan and firefighters Mark Henesy and Lt. Michael Steo brought the girls out of the building.
All of the young girls were transported to Jacobi Medical Center and are expect to fully recover from their injuries.
