Police Scale Flaming Building to Rescue Kids

A North Brunswick, NJ. police officer scaled the side of a blazing condo to help rescue two children and their grandparents who had become trapped by the inferno on Saturday.

“The fire had already consumed the majority of the breezeway that contained all doors. Officers went to the doors that they could still get to to clear/evacuate those units. A couple Officers located two children and their grandparents (who were) stranded on a second floor balcony, trapped by the approaching fire,” the North Brunswick Police Department wrote on Facebook.

Video shows one of the officers rushing toward a balcony, waving his flashlight and yelling “Jump! Jump! Come on, hurry up!” as the flames crackle in the background.

Another officer waves his arms and says he’ll catch the people on the balcony, but they hesitate. He tests a railing on the ground, then begins clambering up the burning building to reach them.

A crowd of officers gathers around and helps catch the children, who are tossed from the balcony by the officer. Another officer begins climbing the flaming building to help. Eventually they get everybody out and rush away from the building.

The officer who climbed to the balcony was Officer Joseph Grasso, according to the Courier News. Officers can be heard calling him “Joey” in the video.

“All involved did an excellent job,” said Police Capt. Brian Hoiberg, according to the paper.

Police said the massive inferno may have been started by a candle from a menorah.