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Once deemed a “social-media superhero” by this magazine for using Twitter to direct city resources to help clear blizzard-covered streets, Newark mayor Cory Booker now can add a new title to his resume: action hero. Yesterday, Booker and his security detail braved a burning neighbor’s home to rescue a woman.
“He basically told me, ‘This woman is going to die if we don’t help her,’ and what can I say to that?” Alex Rodriguez, a member of his security team, told CBS This Morning on Friday. Rodriguez said he initially stopped Booker from entering the house. “I let him go and without thinking twice, he just ran into the flames and rescued this young lady.”
“I just grabbed her and whipped her out of the bed,” the mayor told the New Jersey Star-Ledger. Newark Fire Chief John Centanni told the newspaper that Booker handled the situation professionally. “It was a very successful rescue actually,” he remarked. “The situation could have been definitely a tragedy because it was just getting started.” Booker ended up being hospitalized for smoke inhalation.
“Thanks 2 all who are concerned. Just suffering smoke inhalation. We got the woman out of the house. We are both off to hospital. I will b ok,” Booker later tweeted. “Thanks everyone, my injuries were relatively minor. Thanks to Det. Alex Rodriguez who helped get all of the people out of the house.”
According to the Associated Press, the woman that was rescued was in stable condition at a local hospital, suffering burns on her back and neck.
MORE: Cory Booker: The Mayor of Twitter and Blizzard Superhero