by DEBORAH S. MORRIS
Staff Writer
A Queens firefighter made a daring rescue at a rooftop fire in Beechhurst, saving a man who was hanging from the roof of the nine-story apartment building as the fire raged.
Fire officials at the scene, 162-30 Powells Cove Blvd., said workers from LeHarvre Owners Corp. were repairing the roof of the building using tar and a blow torch when the two-alarm fire began about 3:30 p.m. Friday.
Firefighter Jonathan Hoffman, 27, of Ladder 144 in Whitestone, was able to direct several workers from the roof to a stairwell, but an unidentified man remained trapped.
"I saw him on the ledge and was trying to convince him not to jump, to come back on the roof, but he wasn't having it," said Hoffman, a three-year veteran. He said the roof was about 75 percent engulfed in flames and visibility there was about 3 feet.
Hoffman grabbed and held the man until a bucket from the ladder below was extended close enough to allow the man to jump to safety. But Hoffman himself became trapped when an explosion created more flames.
"He couldn't get out," firefighter Michael Marx said. "I saw the flames at his back and I was yelling for him to run through the flames and jump in the bucket, but he couldn't because of the flames."
Seconds later firefighters from Engine 295 came and extinguished the fire, clearing the way for Hoffman's escape.
"It was very intense, I tell you. But it was a team effort; the guys got me out," he said humbly.
Marx was more forthright.
"He did a brave thing. He went above and beyond the call of duty," he said proudly. "It was a team effort, but he was brave. It was pretty intense. I was scared for him," Marx said.
No injuries were reported from the fire, which was put out about an hour after it began. Friday's high winds and gas cylinders on the roof may have contributed to the blaze, officials said.
Staff writer Wil Cruz contributed to this story. Copyright © 2003, Newsday, Inc.
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