An off-duty NYPD officer who is currently battling cancer sprinted toward a burning, overturned vehicle in New York City on Thursday and pulled a trapped man out to safety, according to the department. The rescue, briefly described in a department post on X, has been held up as proof that officers are “never off-duty.”
Department Post and Quote
In a post on X, NYPD News wrote, “When someone needs help, a cop is never off-duty,” crediting Officer Joseph Wetzel with running toward danger to rescue a man “trapped inside a burning overturned vehicle.” The post also noted Wetzel is fighting cancer, underscoring the physical risk he took in stepping into the flames to pull the man out.
The department did not share which precinct Wetzel is assigned to, did not specify an exact address, and did not provide information about the condition of the man he rescued.
Details Remain Limited
So far, the NYPD’s social media post is the only public description of what happened. It offers praise but very few operational details: no timeline, no precise location in the city, and no word on whether either man was hospitalized after the incident.
This story will be updated if the NYPD releases additional information or if local outlets provide more on how the harrowing rescue unfolded.
