BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — It was 11:21 Sunday morning when Buffalo Police Officer William Flockemer pulls up to a fire on Sidney Street in Buffalo.
Body camera footage shows the smoke pouring out of the two story home. Officer Flockemer parks and runs toward the burning building.
As he arrives on scene, family members can be seen in the video telling him and other officers that someone is still upstairs in the home.
It was then Officer Flockemer entered the home, trying to keep other family members from going back upstairs.
Outside, a woman could be seen standing on the roof of the home. Caught on camera, she jumps into the arms of Officer Nick McLean, Scott Becker and other citizens trying to help.
“The work that you see on these videos is work that firefighters and police officers do on a daily basis,” said Buffalo Police Deputy Commissioner Joe Gramaglia.
Firefighters and police say the back of the house was engulfed in flames when police and fire were able to rescue everyone inside.
Monday, Buffalo Firefighters Zachary Boducki, Captain Peter Fantigrossi as well as officers Becker, Mclean and Flockemer were presented with a certificate of bravery on behalf of the City of Buffalo.
“You never really plan for something like that. There was another citizen there assisting me to get her to safety,” Officer Mclean said of the rescue.
“To look back on this now and see the bravery they showed, it’s very powerful to see,” said Captain Fantigrossi.
Buffalo firefighters say there were five other working fires over the weekend. Six firefighters were hospitalized for injuries such as dehydration, but everyone has been released.
