Crews made a heroic rescue as a fire raged inside a home Wednesday morning in Saugus, Massachusetts.
The family of three who lived at the home got out safely, but firefighters battling the 3-alarm inferno had to save three of their own as the flames and smoke trapped them inside the home just off of U.S. Route 1.
"Fire truck air horns were blown, which means to evacuate the building, there's a possibility of collapse, and they also heard a mayday over the radio system, that means a firefighter is trapped and he's in imminent danger of being killed," explained Malden Fire Chief Jack Colangeli.
Two Saugus firefighters were rescued by a Saugus captain and a Malden lieutenant, but the third lost his footing trying to escape.
"He said he fell down the stairs, lost his helmet, it knocked his seal off, his mask, he didn't have anymore air, he said he was just looking for a way out," said Malden firefighter Gregory Jean, who was was breaking the windows from the outside when he saw the missing firefighter's hand through the smashed glass. "I grabbed his forearm, he grabbed mine and we just struggled to get him out, I assisted getting him out the window, and we kind of embraced, he said oh man you saved my life."
Firefighters say in a matter of seconds, the room he had been in was fully engulfed in flames.
"I can't say enough of how proud I am of those people," said Saugus Fire Chief Michael Newbury.
Crews battling fire on Essex St off of Rt 1 in Saugus. @NECN pic.twitter.com/fGEvGl02Vm
— Katelyn Flint (@Katelyn_necn) January 6, 2016But Jean doesn't consider himself a hero.
"It's all because of training," he said. "I didn't do anything that anyone else wouldn't do."
The Massachusetts Fire Marshal's Office says the fire continues to burn in the basement of the home, where it is believed to have started.
Until that fire is out, fire investigators will not be to examine the scene to determine a cause.
