Firefighters Save Woman from Queens Fire

Firefighters from Ladder 107 (L to R in front row: Lt. Gerard Cox, FF John Bunning and FF James Goelz) describe their rescue to the media.

Firefighters from Ladder 107 worked quickly to save a woman from an apartment fire in Queens on Apr. 6.

"It feels great, this is why we do this job," Firefighter James Goelz said. "It’s what this job is all about."

Multiple calls were received around 7:30 a.m. for a fire on the fourth floor of a six-floor apartment building on 88^th Street.

When units arrived, they found a large crowd in front of the building. A maintenance worker told them where the fire apartment may be located, so the members of Ladder 107 went to the third floor to understand the building’s layout then climbed to the fourth floor, which was filled with black smoke and high heat.

Since there was no visibility in the hallway, they used a thermal imaging camera to guide them.

"It gave us a general idea of where the heat was coming from," Lt. Gerard Cox said.

They found the apartment’s door was left ajar, so they entered the residence and Lt. Cox assigned the members a direction of where to search.

A few feet into the apartment, just outside the bedroom door, Firefighter Goelz felt a woman’s foot. He and Firefighter John Bunning then carried her to the door of the apartment.

Another firefighter met them at the top of the stairs and helped Firefighter Bunning carry her outside as Firefighter Goelz returned to the apartment to search for other victims.

The members of Engine 225 and Ladder 107.

The woman, who is in her 60s, was in cardiac arrest, so Firefighter Bunning did CPR and was able to restart her heart before EMS units transported her to Jamaica Hospital in critical condition. She was later transported to New York Hospital for the hyperbaric chamber. She suffered burns and smoke inhalation.

Fire marshals determined the cause of the fire to be careless smoking.

The rescue was extra special for Firefighter Bunning, who celebrated his 43^rd birthday the day before.