The officers helped get residents out after fire broke out in the rear of the three-story apartment building on Scholes Street, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. The officers are identified as Officer Aml Elsokary, a mother of five with eight years of experience, and Sgt. Adrian Harris, on the job for nine years.
The building has no elevator. The officers were taken to the hospital where they are recovering from smoke inhalation.
"They did an outstanding job, a very heroic job, once again going in and rescuing a number of people," said Bratton.
Resident Carmen DelRio, who was watching her 1-year-old granddaughter Kaylei at the time, and her daughter, who has cerebral palsy, suddenly couldn't see a thing due to all the smoke. The smoky fire was in between her family's building and the one next door.
"And all of a sudden there was a lotta smoke coming up ... and a lady cop come, she knocked on the door and she grabbed the baby and kept walking," said DelRio.
Two police officers from the 90th Precinct happened to be driving by when the fire broke out. "It was one police car driving by when this was happening," said resident Christina Frey.
The fire department arrived in 2 and a half minutes but the officers rushed inside first -- the second time this week police officers risked their lives to save others from a fire and suffered smoke inhalation.
"They go upstairs, and they knock on all the doors and the cop comes downstairs choking," said witness David Diaz.
Kaylei's father was just thankful. "Thank you very much. And I'm glad they were able to save my baby, my family, and the people in the building..you did a great job," said Felipe Arroyo.
