A Chicago police officer is credited with saving several lives after she ran into a burning building Tuesday to get several residents and their pets out safely.
Officer Jennifer Jacobucci, a 10-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, was traveling on the expressway finishing up her shift around 11:30 a.m. when she noticed massive flames shooting out of a home in the city’s Logan Square neighborhood. She immediately drove off the expressway and to the home quickly being overtaken by the blaze.
“As I approached, the building was totally engulfed in flames,” she said.
She immediately ran inside and was able to help four residents and three pets get out safely.
“For me, I wouldn’t want my family to go through that so I wanted to make sure they got out safe,” she said.
Residents say Jacobucci went from room to room, helping them exit unscathed.
Joe Galindo said hi 17-year-old Australian Shepherd was among the animals rescued Tuesday.
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“I’m very thankful for her to save my dog,” he said.
It wasn’t until after Jacobucci got out and saw the destruction she realized how horribly the blaze could have ended.
“We're all police officers,” she said. “Doesn't matter where stuff is happening in the city, if you see something going on I would that hope everybody would step up to plate and do what we need to do.”
Fire officials said the extra-alarm fire was put out around 12:45 p.m. and had been caused by unsupervised cooking on a back porch. A firefighter suffered a minor injury to her hand while battling the blaze, but no other injuries were reported.
One family dog living in the building did not survive, authorities said.
