An off-duty NYPD lieutenant turned a quiet Bloomingdale block into a rescue scene last Tuesday, ripping down a backyard fence and yanking out a window with his bare hands to get to a mother and her two young daughters trapped in a house fire on Rensselaer Avenue. Video of the blaze shows the officer carrying the children through the shattered window before uniformed firefighters completed the rescue. The girls, ages 5 and 11, and their mother were reported safe, and other relatives in the home, including a grandmother and an adult son, were unharmed. The family is now juggling repairs and recovery with the recent loss of their patriarch, along with the painful task of recovering his ashes from the fire-damaged home.
How the rescue unfolded
“The front door was already up in flames, I couldn't get in,” Lt. James Heinz told reporters as he described sprinting down the driveway, tearing down a fence and forcing his way in through a backyard window, according to WABC. Video from the scene shows Heinz, off duty and out of uniform, pulling the two girls and their mother through the broken window to safety before firefighters took over inside. Emergency crews later confirmed the children’s ages and said the other family members in the house were not injured.
Heinz, who said he has 13 years on the job, credited training and instinct for kicking in at the right moment. “No time to panic, you had to act,” he said, per WABC. He may wear a police shield rather than a firefighter’s helmet, but his own brother, a fireman, also responded to the call. For the family he helped pull out, the focus now is on rebuilding and getting through the frightening night that upended their home.
Why seconds matter
Modern home fires can turn deadly in just a few minutes, and national data shows that single-family houses still account for most residential fire deaths, a grim reminder of how little time people often have to escape. A recent analysis by Pew found that newer multifamily buildings have far lower fire-death rates than older single-family homes, underscoring how building age and safety systems can shape outcomes. For New Yorkers trying to cut their risks at home, the FDNY offers guidance on smoke alarms, escape planning and battery safety; residents can find local safety tips through FDNY resources.
After the rescue
Neighbors and relatives praised Heinz for reacting without hesitation, and first responders were credited with securing the area and checking on everyone who had been inside the house. As investigators and the family turn to the long work of recovery, the rescued children and their mother are beginning the slow process of healing from the shock and trauma of that night.
