Firefighters trapped in Saugus fire rescued by fellow crew

A fire chief is calling his crew heroes after they rescued three fellow firefighters trapped inside a Saugus house fire.

Malden Firefighter Gregory Jean said a Saugus firefighter had fallen inside the house and lost his helmet and mask. Two other firefighters were trapped inside by the smoke and issued a "mayday" call. 

Jean said one of the firefighters broke a window and reached out. 

"I saw his hand, I reached in and said, ‘give me your hand brother. He grabbed my hand and I basically started pulling him out," Jean said. 

The two firefighters hugged and returned to fight the flames. 

Jean, another Malden firefighter and Saugus Fire Capt. Chris Rizza rushed in to save the two two other firefighters. One of the firefighters was helped down the stairs and the others were pulled out of a window. Two of them suffered minor injuries.

The trapped firefighter is doing OK. 

The fire started just before 5 a.m. Wednesday in the house’s basement. The house, located on Essex Street, is owned by a woman in her 80s. The woman, her daughter and adult granddaughter were inside when the fire began but made it out safely. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

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