Newark Mayor Cory Booker taken to hospital after rescuing woman from house fire

NJ Star Ledger ^ | 4/13/2012 | Star Ledger Staff

[SueRae]

NEWARK — Newark Mayor Cory Booker was taken to a hospital tonight for treatment of smoke inhalation he suffered trying to rescue his next-door neighbors from their burning house.

"I just grabbed her and whipped her out of the bed," Booker said in recounting the fire. Booker told The Star-Ledger he also suffered second-degree burns on his hand.

The fire started in a two-story building on Hawthorne Avenue in the Upper Clinton Hill neighborhood, shortly before the mayor arrived home after a television interview with News 12 New Jersey.

Five people were taken to the hospital for treatment: the mayor, a woman from the house and three members of his security detail. The woman was listed in stable condition at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston with burns to her back and neck.

Booker left his home shortly after 6 a.m. this morning to make an appearance on a television show in New York, News 12 reported. The mayor will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. at Newark City Hall to discuss the incident.

Newark Fire Director Fateen Ziyad said after the mayor arrived home he saw flames and smoke from the second floor of the building next to his home, and no residents outside,

Booker rushed in and his security detail followed him, Ziyad said.

[SueRae]

Good for him. I've seen him interviewed on Foxews before. I like him (even if a Dem). He's trying to make a difference. In Newark. I give him credit for that same as I do Mayor Michael Nutter closer to home.

[JimRed]

Agreed. I may not like his politics, but don’t question his manhood.

[Graybeard58]

Heroic..............but I’d still never vote for him.

[blackdog]

Doing the right thing isn’t politics. I venture to say it’s just the opposite. One teat sucker who’s moved up in my book. Kudos to his cop body guards who did the right thing as well.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Very brave men...many don’t walk out after walking into a burning building.

[Mercat]

I ran into a burning building once to rescue -—— wait for it —— fish. In a ten gallon tank of water. Very embarrassing. It took two men to carry the tank which weighed about 80 pounds, back into the building after the fire was out. At the time I weighed about 110 pounds.

[Fred Hayek]

Cory Booker has gotten flack from his fellow Democrats. Some have even called him a “white Republican”, which must mean that he has done some stuff that is off the plantation.

Is he going to break the streak of Newark mayors who have gone to prison?

[gusty]

He grew up in the same town I live in (A very privileged town), and we have a lot of mutual friends, thou I do not know him, my brother does. Do not expect him to get married, to a woman, anytime soon if ever.

[fremont_steve]

As I recall - this is the same guy who used Twitter to communicate to his constituents during some really BAD weather. He asked them to tell him where there were problems so he could better marshal the cities resources. He seems to be a doer, and damn the consequences. He also seems to have common sense too - even though running into a burning building might not be considered as such. ;-)

Sounds like they have a hero on their hands - who cares what party he belongs too.

[FourPeas]

Public service. From a public servant. I like.

I have no idea of his politics, but if he’s a lefty there may be hope for them after all.

[Arkansas Toothpick]

He may be a Democrat, but his actions speak a lot louder than party affiliation. True character shone through in that moment.