When Officer Trevon Hartley and Officer Ricardo Barragan reached the scene, they found apartment fully engulfed, with the flames closing in on the family on the patio.
"Working together, (the officers) guided the parents through the unimaginable, safely dropping their 3-year-old child down to waiting officers below," the department stated. "Moments later, the family dog was also dropped safely."
"Right after we caught the daughter, they instantly put the dog up. I was like, 'Oh, there’s a dog now,'" Barragan told KPIX-TV. "She’s like, 'Here’s my dog. Get my dog.'"
Firefighters arrived shortly after, and they rescued the remaining residents on the patio. Crews also made sure that no one else was trapped in the apartment.
"We are incredibly thankful for the calm and courage shown by the residents during such a terrifying moment, and for the seamless teamwork between our dispatchers, officers, and fire personnel," the department stated. "We are grateful to report that no one was seriously injured."
The city is expected to honor the officers for their actions, according to KPIX. Both officers were raised in Milpitas, and Barragan had even lived at the location where the fire happened.
"I’m a father myself so that’s why I was pretty focused on the child first," Hartley said. "So, looking back on it, it makes you nervous. I’m just glad it all played out well."
