Chicago Cop Saves Family from Fire

A quick-thinking, off-duty Chicago police officer is credited with saving a family of five from a burning home on the South Side late Tuesday.

Seventh District officer Michael O??Connor was was on his way to work about 10:50 p.m. when he saw the two-story apartment building, located at 1758 W. 71 St., on fire with flames shooting out of the building.

Images: Officer Saves Family Video: Family Of Five Rescued

O??Connor said he stopped his car and kicked in the door to the building and starting yelling for people to get out.

??I was thinking that I am not a firefighter, what am I doing??? O??Connor said. ??I was just trying to save people before the fire got too bad.??

O??Connor went up the stairs and he started grabbing three children, ages 2,8 and 10.

"They needed help getting out of the house, so I just started pulling them out and throwing them into the snow and telling them to get in my car to warm up, since they had no shoes or clothes on, really, just shorts and T-shirts," O'Connor said.

They all made it out safely, but the home was destroyed.

News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said O'Connor has been with the Chicago Police Department for 2?? years.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Additional information provided by Chicago Sun-Times Inc.