D.C. firefighters rescued three children from an apartment fire in Columbia Heights Thursday.
The fire happened in the bedroom, forcing three kids and an adult to huddle on the balcony, unable to escape.
Lt. Charles Jones said he knew he needed to keep the kids calm to perform the rescue, which meant running past the fire.
“We needed to get out quick, so rather than crawling on all fours, we just kind of duck walked out so we got low but were still kind of running,” Jones said.
Firefighters poured water on the flames while Jones and the kids got out of the burning building.
The heroic rescue is just a part of their job, said firefighter Chris Mazurek.
“It’s nice to come to work and be able to help people, whether we’re doing it on a fire or some other way, we’re always glad to help,” Mazurek said.
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His cohort, Andy Buffington, said there wasn’t a lot of time to think during the rescue.
“Everybody has a job to do,” Buffington said.
The fire was accidental, but DC Fire and EMS did not reveal a specific cause. The family had a working smoke alarm, which firefighters said is an important safety reminder.
“Everything went well and as planned. So that’s what we train for and it all came together today,” Jones said.
