Firefighters from Ladder 124 Rescue Residents from Brooklyn Fire

Firefighters rescued panicked residents from a fire at this residential building in Bushwick.

Firefighter Giovanni Martinez and other members from Ladder 124 made four daring rescues in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on March 24.

“All the members did a phenomenal job,” said Battalion Chief Joseph Schiralli.

The fire was first reported at 7:59 a.m. in a three-story residential building on Palmetto St. Firefighters arrived within two minutes to find heavy fire and smoke pouring out the windows on the second and third floors.

They were told several people were trapped in a third floor apartment, unable to escape because the extreme fire conditions blocked their means of egress.

The members of Ladder 124 set up their aerial ladder and Firefighter Martinez brought the bucket past the fire to the third floor apartment window, where he found a panicked pregnant woman and man.

The window was open, but blocked by child safety gate, so Firefighter Martinez pried open the bars with his Halligan tool and safely removed the victims to the bucket.

They told the firefighter another victim was inside, so he crawled into the apartment to conduct a search without the protection of a hose line. He found a semi-conscious man on the floor in a separate room and pulled him to the bucket.

Lt. Robert Rochelle was inside the building as Firefighter Martinez made the rescues. He said, “You couldn’t see a thing and a flashlight does nothing at that point. He did a great job.”

At the same time, Firefighter John Finn from Ladder 124 saw another third floor resident was threatening to jump. He climbed a 20-foot portable ladder outside to calm the man before the bucket rescued him.

[L to R] FF Greg Fraccalvieri (L-124), FF Kevin Quinn (E-271), FF Robert Roscoe (L-124), FF Andy Castillo (assigned E-271, working in L-124), Lt. Robert Rochelle (L-124), [top row] FF John Finn (L-124), FF Brian Kelly (L-124), FF Chris Chiappetta, [bottom row] FF Carlos Ruiz (E-271) and FF Scott Carrella (E-271).

Chief Schiralli also commended the members of Engine 271 for curtailing the fast-moving fire, which was brought under control at 8:34 a.m.

Firefighter Martinez received minor injuries in the fire, as did 12 other firefighters and civilians.

FDNY fire marshals determined the fire was accidental, caused by an extension cord stretched under a mattress.