Firefighter catches baby from flaming balcony

Out of Metro Atlanta comes another example of the bravery of what firefighters do.

A massive fire at an apartment complex last week had firefighters racing to the scene to rescue people trapped inside, including a baby.

Capt. Jackie Peckrul of DeKalb Fire was the one to catch a baby thrown from a burning third-story building.

“We did what we had to do and the thing is that everybody there knew what they had to do,” said Capt. Jackie Peckrul.

It’s a moment which Captain Jackie Peckrul will never forget.

“I started going up the ladder. My plan was to actually get up on the balcony with them so that I could help them get on the ladder and have somebody else assist them down, but I got about half way up there and here comes a baby down to my arms,” said Peckrul.

It was one out of a dozen people rescued that day.

Peckrul said, “I don’t really feel like a hero. I don’t think any of us do. It’s our job and we are so fortunate to work for DeKalb County who prides training and equipment and we have a brotherhood here and we work really well together.”

None of the victims were seriously injured. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.