Trapped firefighters rescued from building

(Queens - WABC, September 21, 2007) (WABC) -- Rescuers fought flames and smoke to rescue two firefighters Friday night.

The dramatic rescue happening in a building at 95th Avenue and Sutphin Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens.

Eyewitness News reporter Jeff Pegues has the story.

Two firefighters were taken away from the scene on stretchers after getting trapped in the building. According to the FDNY, the firefighters had been partially pinned under rubble.

''A landing between the second and third floor collapsed," said FDNY deputy chief Michael Halderman.

FDNY officials say they had no problem locating the injured firefighters in the building.

''Our members safety was the number one priority," Halderman said.

And that is why they say when they arrived on the scene at 6 p.m., they did not enter the building to put the fire out. The four story structure at the corner of 95th Avenue and Sutphin is vacant and under demolition.

There was no one in the building when firefighters arrived on the scene.

"The Deutsche Bank building was at the forefront of our minds, but this is standard operating procedure for a building under demolition," Halderman added.

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