March 21, 2008 -- A blaze that trapped a grandmother and three children in their Brooklyn apartment yesterday did not end in tragedy, thanks to a heroic rescue by two firefighters.
The four were in a top-floor apartment on Central Avenue in Bushwick when rescuers arrived shortly after 3:40 p.m. to douse a blaze on the floor below.
As smoke filled her apartment, the grandmother was at the window frantically waving and screaming, "Save my kids!"
But a window guard hindered the escape for her and the children, 6 months, and 2 and 4 years old.
"I had three kids in my arms at one time," firefighter Mark Loftus said, noting the granny was able to squeeze the young trio out through the window guard.
"Because they were so small, we had to be careful passing them."
"It was nerve-wracking," added firefighter Rory Allen, who assisted Loftus.
"All I was thinking was it could have been my kids or your kids."
Once the children were safe, the firefighters were able to force the guard off and free the grandmother.
All four suffered minor injuries. "As a father, it feels good to save kids," said Loftus, a dad of two.
Republished with permission from The New York Post
