Photo: Jamestown Police Department
A Western New York police officer is being hailed after body camera footage showed him saving catching several people jumping out of the window of a house fire.
ABC News reports Officer Mark Conklin was handling a service call on Baker Street when he was alerted of a possible house fire on William Street -- about a block away -- at 12:15 a.m. on Monday (July 19), according to a statement from the Jamestown Police Department.
Body camera footage shared on the department's Facebook page shows Officer Conklin running toward the burning house and locating "children and an adult trapped in the upstairs of the residence," according to the department.
“I believe there is entrapment,” Conklin said as he approached the home in the video. “I’m getting people out right now.”
Officer Conklin is then heard calling over to a witness asking for the address of the building before contacting the Jamestown Fire Department for help over his radio.
The home is almost completely engulfed in flames when the officer arrives at the scene and occupants can be heard screaming and crying before Conklin directs them to jump out of the window.
“I got you! I got you!” Conklin yells at one of the individuals inside the home. “Jump! I got you, I got you!”
“I can say that I have seen many examples of heroism over the years by officers,” said Jamestown Police Chief Tim Jackson in a statement posted on the department's social media accounts with the footage. “After watching the video of this incident and speaking to others involved, I can say that the actions of Officer Conklin were, to say the least, one of the most outstanding examples of bravery, heroism, and exemplary service I have seen. We, the Jamestown Police Department, are honored to have officers such as Mark Conklin working in the Jamestown Police Department.”
Local authorities didn't disclose how many individuals were able to evacuate the fire or their condition, but no deaths were reported in relation to the incident.