A brave off-duty firefighter, Joe Pendergast, has been credited with saving a man from a smoky apartment in Brooklyn just seconds before a lithium-ion battery exploded. The incident occurred early on Friday morning, said officials from the Fire Department of New York (FDNY).
Unforeseen Rescue Operation on Normal Commute
Pendergast, who is based in the Prospect Lefferts Gardens fire station, was on his way to work from his home in Staten Island when he noticed smoke coming from a building in Flatbush. “I saw smoke down the block and at first, thought it was a car on fire,” explained the 33-year-old firefighter. As he got closer, he realized that it was, in fact, an apartment engulfed in smoke.
Race Against Time
Around 7:30 a.m., flames lit the first-floor unit of the four-story building on Parkside Avenue, near Ocean Avenue. This is about a mile from the Engine 249/Ladder 113 fire station, which was Pendergast’s destination. Upon reaching the building’s main entrance, he learned from a frantic woman that a man was trapped inside, attempting to rescue nine puppies from the second floor.
Braving the Smoke and Flames
Pendergast quickly assessed the situation. He saw that an e-bike adjacent to the door, as well as another deeper into the apartment, were ablaze. That’s where the man was, approximately 15 feet into the smoke-filled apartment, trying to reach the dogs on the second floor. Despite the man’s initial reluctance to leave, Pendergast managed to convince him, and they started making their way towards the exit.
Pendergast recounted, “Just as I was pushing him out, the e-bike next to us exploded into a huge fireball. But we were just about three feet away from the door, so I managed to exit quickly, although I burned my hand in the process.”
Backup Arrives on the Scene
Around two or three minutes after Pendergast ventured into the apartment, his colleagues from the Engine 249/Ladder 113 fire station arrived. With a team of more than 50 firefighters on the scene, they swiftly snuffed out the flames and rescued several of the dogs. Unfortunately, only four puppies survived the blaze. Fire marshals later confirmed that the cause of the fire was the lithium-ion batteries in the e-bikes.
Pendergast’s Selflessness Costs Him
Following the heroic rescue, Pendergast was taken to NYC Health+Hospitals/ Kings County for treatment. He sustained second-degree burns on his right hand and forearm during the daring rescue. “It’s just blistering up now,” Pendergast shared Friday afternoon upon his hospital dismissal. A fellow firefighter also received treatment for minor injuries at the same hospital.
First Time Experience for Pendergast
Pendergast, who has been a part of FDNY for seven years, revealed that this was his first time responding off-duty. Despite the situation’s intense danger, he explained, “I was just thinking about what I had to do. I tried to determine what was possible and kept my actions within reasonable limits.” His actions undoubtedly saved a man’s life and depicted the bravery and commitment our firefighters display every day.