Local police officers morphed into emergency smoke eaters Tuesday as they helped a group of seniors escape an all-hands fire on Ocean Parkway in Flatbush.
When the smoke finally cleared, two civilians and a handful of police officers from both the 66th Precinct and the 70th Precinct were reportedly treated for smoke inhalation, officials said.
Fire officials said that the smoky blaze erupted inside a fourth floor apartment at 535 Ocean Parkway at Ditmas Avenue – four blocks away from the 70th Precinct – just before 5:30 p.m. May 13.
Witnesses said that as firefighters raced to the scene, cops from neighboring commands got there first and raced inside, and helped pull a wheelchair-bound senior out of the burning apartment.
Firefighters said that the blaze was under control within 20 minutes. The cause was still being investigated as this paper went to press.
An FDNY spokesman said that at total of eight injuries were reported, although they couldn’t confirm how many of them were police officers at press time.
All of the injured suffered from smoke inhalation and were taken to various area hospitals for treatment, they said.
No firefighter injuries were reported.
The wheelchair-bound senior the officers assisted was reportedly in good condition and in the arms of his doting wife by late Tuesday, witnesses said.
