Newark Mayor Fights Security, Risks Life to Save Neighbors From Burning Home
Cory Booker, Newark, N.J., mayor, risked his life to save his neighbors from a burning house Thursday night, which resulted in him being rushed to the hospital.
Booker, three members of his security team and the woman he helped retrieve from the burning house, were treated for various injuries resulting from the fire. Although the woman who lives in the burning house is reportedly in stable condition, she is still being treated for burns to her back and neck at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, N.J.
Booker described saving the woman from a burning two-story building in the Upper Clinton Hill New Jersey neighborhood after he returned home from a television interview.
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"I just grabbed her and whipped her out of the bed," Booker said in a NJ.com report.
Although Booker was able to retrieve the neighboring woman from the burning building, he was told that her daughter was still in the home.
"We got everybody out of the house, but their daughter's screaming, 'I'm upstairs!'" Booker told The Star-Ledger.
However, a member of Booker's security detail, Detective Alex Rodriguez, attempted to stop the mayor from entering the house a second time. Booker described his attempt to fight the security member off in an effort to save the young woman.
"Now we actually get into a fight because his job is to protect me," Booker said in a NJ.com report.
Still, the mayor went into the home a second time. However, he realized that his life was in danger.
"I suddenly had the realization that I can't find this woman." Booker said. "I look behind me and see the flames and I think 'I'm not going to get out of here.' Suddenly I was at peace with the fact that I was going to jump out the window."
Still, the Newark mayor was able to save the woman and was treated for minor injuries.
Newark Fire Chief John Centanni said the mayor completed a successful rescue. However, he put himself in a dangerous situation.
"It was a very successful rescue actually," the fire chief added. "The situation could have been definitely a tragedy because it was just getting started."
However, the mayor tweeted that he was fine after the ordeal, scheduling a press conference for Friday morning.
"Thanks everyone, my injuries were relatively minor," Booker tweeted. "Thanks to Det. Alex Rodriguez who helped get all of the people out of the house."
