CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Four Cheektowaga Police officers are being honored after saving four people and a dog from an apartment fire.
On Sept. 3 shortly after midnight, a fire started in a lower apartment on Preston road. It left four people and a dog upstairs with no way to escape. The smoke from the fire made it impossible for the stairs to be used and was too thick for officers to enter and attempt a rescue.
That is until officers pulled a police car up next to a balcony to help them all get out safely.
Friday afternoon, officers William Cookfair, Brendan Tomasulo, Joshua Donovan and Jeffrey Scaglione were honored for their bravery and quick thinking.
Erie County Legislator Frank Todaro gave made a proclamation in their honor.
Officers Tomasulo and Donovan were the first on scene.
"You could hear the fire inside the whole time and stuff breaking. The smoke continued to pour out from the house and the only thing I could think of was 'we have to do something. We have to find a way and thankfully, we were able to find that way," Tomasulo said.
He adds it wouldn't have been possible to save everyone if it hadn't been a team effort.