Baby saved from apartment fire

A 10-month-old girl is recovering after being rescued by a firefighter from an apartment fire Sunday, reports say.

Lockland firefighter Michael Allen tells WCPO Channel 9 he learned a child was trapped in the second-floor apartment while on his way to the fire.

The mother had been able to escape the apartment with her three other children but was unable to reach the baby because of heavy smoke, WKRC Channel 12 reports.

The heavy smoke also pushed back a police officer who attempted to get to the girl.

Allen tells WCPO he could hear the baby crying as he put on his oxygen mask and entered the apartment, with flames growing from the kitchen.

“The baby stopped crying, so then immediately you’re thinking the worst is about to happen,” Allen tells WCPO. “I made it into her bedroom. I found the crib relatively quick, was able to pick her up and when I did she did start to cry again, so I took my mask off, covered her face up and brought her outside to mom.”

The baby was taken to a hospital for observation but was OK, reports say.

“It’s an incredible feeling. It’s exactly why we do this job,” Allen says. “It doesn’t matter who you are. You become a fireman to help people and make their day better than what it was before you got there.”

No other injuries were reported.