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Newark Mayor Cory Booker returned to his Upper Clinton Hill home Thursday night to see his neighbor's house engulfed in flames. Booker ran into the burning building, saving a woman from her home.
Booker took to Twitter to thank well-wishers early Friday morning.
Thanks everyone, my injuries were relatively minor. Thanks to Det. Alex Rodriguez who helped get all of the people out of the house.— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) April 13, 2012
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— Cory Booker (@CoryBooker) April 13, 2012
Booker arrived before the firefighters could get there. A woman was screaming that her daughter was trapped inside. He managed to reach the woman in a back bedroom, throw her over his shoulder and run out, according to a NBC NY report.
"I punched through the kitchen and the flames and that's when I saw Detective Rodriguez. He grabbed her as well and we got her down the stairs and we both just collapsed outside," Booker said at a press conference.
Newark Police Det. Alex Rodriguez said Booker's members of the mayor's security team tried holding him back. Without hesitation, he entered the home saving the young woman's life, according to an Associated Press report.
"Honestly it was terrifying and to look back and see nothing but flames and to look in front of you and see nothing but blackness," Booker said.
Booker was treated for smoke inhalation and second-degree burns on his hand. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Twitter reactions range from praise and support for the heroic mayor to funny comparisons of Booker to Batman and fellow local heros.
I saw that Cory Booker ran into a burning building to save his neighbor last night.Definition of a #hero for real.— Juanita (@nitabug0423) April 13, 2012
I knew it. @CoryBooker is batman.— hrdoubleu (@hrdoubleu) April 13, 2012
So Cory Booker and Ryan Gosling walk into a bar ...— Nick Judd (@nclarkjudd) April 13, 2012
Follow the funny reaction tweets attached to hashtag #corybookerstories.
What do you think of Mayor Booker's heroic story? What would you tell him on Twitter? Tell us in the comments.