LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — Neighbors in Lockport are coming together to help two families recover after a fire last weekend.
New York State Police shared a video of the fire on the Royal Parkway. Troopers helped firefighters prevent the flames from spreading to a nearby house. They also rescued a dog trapped inside the home.
Two of the three troopers previously worked in firefighting and EMS, they say their skills kicked in for them to help.
"I might have not gotten training from NYS police but I had it buried way back from back in the day. There was no thinking I just acted in the moment for what I thought I could and I signed up for this job to help people, and I think that call was no different where I would handle any other call, I am here to help people," said Trooper Martin Derkovitz, who was a firefighter and EMS responder for ten years.
Another trooper, Benjamin Zaccagnino is currently a volunteer firefighter in Cheektowaga, he says helping the family get their dog and pet birds out of the blaze is what he was made to do.
"The most important thing that we try to remember is that we can take the support, but two families are out of their homes tonight and that's what is the unfortunate circumstance with what we were facing," said Trooper Zaccagnino.
Trooper Matthew Wetzel has no firefighting experience but still stepped up to help.
"If it was my family, I would want someone to jump in and help out the best they could and with the resources we had, it just seemed like the right thing to do," said Trooper Wetzel.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help the Barbaro family who lost everything in the fire, and another one was set up to help the Roth family.
The organizer of the Barbaro fundraiser says the fire broke out in a shed before spreading to the garage and rest of the house "in a matter of minutes."
So far, more than $10,000 has been raised for the Barbaro's. You can donate here.
You can help the Roth's here.
