A policeman in Atlantic City, New Jersey, jumped into action when a teenage girl and her pets were in grave danger on May 26.
Officer Riley Flynn was on patrol at around 1:00 a.m. in the 800 block of Maryland Avenue when he realized a home was on fire, ABC 6 reported on Tuesday.
Body camera footage shows the moment Flynn approached the home as concerned residents stood outside. After kicking in the door, he entered the residence, which was filled with smoke.
Once he made his way upstairs, he encountered a 17-year-old girl leaning out a window. He then calmly led her outside to safety.
“Anyone else? Anyone else in there?” he asked the people standing outside. He then reentered the home to rescue the family’s three dogs and one cat.
The video also caught the moment he found the cat sitting in what appeared to be a bedroom. Flynn gently scooped the cat into his arms and carried it outside. When he emerged from the house, he was coughing.
“Officer Flynn and the rescued juvenile were treated on scene by medical personnel,” the Atlantic City Police Department said in its video.
Following the incredible rescue, Police Chief James Sarkos offered high praise of the officer.
“I was amazed at the bravery that he exemplified. He did not hesitate. He went in there and put his own life at risk,” he stated.
The teen’s mother, Miriam Zuniga, said the fire occurred after she and her husband left the house to attend an event. Her daughter apparently called her to tell her what was happening.
The fire reportedly started in the home’s kitchen. Officials are still investigating the exact cause.
In March, three police officers in Las Vegas, Nevada, were honored for rescuing a woman from a raging fire at an apartment building, Breitbart News reported.
Video footage shows the harrowing incident:
Law enforcement officials shared their gratitude for the efforts, stating, “We are beyond proud of these officers for their quick thinking and even faster action to work as a team and save this woman.”