Malden Firefighter Pulls Trapped Firefighter From Burning Building

Photo Credit: Saugus Fire Department

Editor’s note: Updated

SAUGUS, MA - “Mayday.”

A tense situation unfolded early on in Wednesday morning’s three-alarm house fire off Route 1: Three firefighters were trapped, and running out of oxygen. Roll calls were held as fire officials ordered the flame-engulfed building to be evacuated.

Three firefighters from Saugus Engine 3 were stuck on the second floor with high heat, zero visibility, low air, and a hallway filled with the owner’s possessions and debris, according to Saugus Fire officials.

The Lynn Daily Item reported, ”Three Saugus firefighters owe their lives to a colleague and two Malden firefighters said Saugus Fire Chief Michael Newbury.”

Fire crews had been venting windows in the brick, single-family house at 240 Essex St.; the fire was called in about 5 a.m. The three people inside the house had managed to get out safely.

The mayday was called early on. Saugus Fire Lt. FF D.J. Blandini had become disoriented from smoke inhalation but managed to use his helmet to break out a window, according to Saugus Fire officials.

At about the same time as the emergency distress signal sounded, Malden Firefighter Gregory Jean said he saw a hand emerge from one of the broken first-floor windows.

Jean said he did what any other firefighter would have done in the same situation.

“He (the trapped firefighter) broke a (window) pane,” Firefighter Jean said, as he acted fast on pure instinct. “I saw his hand coming out; I pulled him out.”

The rescued man was conscious, and happy to be out of the burning building, according to Firefighter Jean.

Firefighter Jean said he just happened to be in the right time, at the right place, to be able to rescue the Saugus firefighter.

He said all the fire crews on the scene share in the rescues.

“i did not do anything that extreme,” Firefighter Jean said. He said it was a team effort, and a committed effort, to make sure everyone got out of the house safe.

“Everybody on the scene did an awesome job,” he said. Fire crews from neighboring communities provided mutual aid.

Firefighters pulled a second firefighter out of another window, and another firefighter was pulled out from the stairs, according to 7News.whdh.com.

Jean credited the excellent training he received in his over 15 years of being a city firefighter.

“It happens so fast,” Jean said. “You just do it. We do a lot of training; it just becomes instinctive.”

Training over the years has involved saving trapped firefighters from burning buildings, he said.

“I’m just proud to be a Malden firefighter. I just did my job.”

Malden Deputy Fire Chief Glynn Montgomery said Malden sent a ladder and engine to Saugus, and a total of six firefighters.

Listen to the mayday call from Zello: