In Milpitas, California, a breathtaking rescue took place as police safely caught a 3-year-old girl and a small dog dropped from a second-story balcony. The incident occurred while an apartment building was engulfed in fierce flames, leaving many residents with no conventional way to escape.
The Milpitas Police Department stated they received an emergency call around 3:15 PM last Saturday regarding a major structure fire in a residential area. The fire spread with dizzying speed, creating thick columns of black smoke that surrounded the apartment complex, trapping upper-floor residents on their balconies.
Rapid response from authorities
Less than two minutes after the call, the first two police officers arrived at the scene. Realizing the fire had consumed most of the building and time was running out, the officers immediately deployed a direct ground rescue plan to ensure the victims' safety.
Video released by authorities captured the tense scene as officers shouted for the family above to drop the child. One officer repeatedly yelled: “Give me the baby! Drop her! I've got her!” to reassure the relatives of the young girl who were panicking amidst the sea of fire.
Immediately after the call, the 3-year-old girl was dropped from the balcony and landed safely in the arms of the police officers. This heart-stopping rescue effort is reminiscent of the brave act of saving an 8-month-old baby at Lake Michigan that previously moved many. Just seconds later, the family's small white dog was dropped in the same manner and successfully caught by authorities to the relief of onlookers.
Milpitas firefighters arrived shortly after to evacuate remaining trapped residents and work on controlling the blaze. Miraculously, no serious injuries were reported despite the large and dangerous scale of the fire.
The Milpitas Police Department later issued a statement praising the residents' calmness in the dire situation. The agency also commended the close coordination between dispatchers, police, and fire crews in performing emergency duties to protect lives.
