New York:
A 'brave' 9-year-old girl from Ukraine has cheated certain death by jumping 25 feet to escape a fire that engulfed her apartment complex here.
Sofiya Doroshenko was alone when a fire broke out in her third floor apartment where she lived with her mother and stepfather, authorities said.
When fire-fighters found her standing on the temporary safety of her balcony, they yelling at her to jump.
There was no net, no pad to land on, no ladder to climb down. Fire trucks had yet to arrive to save her.
"I didn't know what to do, and I just listened to them," Sofiya, who had came to the US just five months ago, told CNN affiliate WABC of New York.
Sofiya said she decided to jump because she had no other chance to escape the fire.
Underneath her were three police officers in Mahwah, New Jersey. Their arms were her only exit.
"She was the most confident, brave little kid that I've ever met," said Lieutenant Jeff Dino of the Mahwah Police Department. "She put complete faith in us and when she jumped back we caught her."
The "we" included Sergeant Brendan Mullin and Officer Thomas Solimano, who helped catch the falling girl and kept her from any injuries.
They deflected praise for the rescue.
"I really think she deserves the most credit here because of the way she reacted," Mullin said.
Solimano said that Sofiya was much calmer and cooler under immense pressure than you would expect of a 9-year-old.
"Were you scared?" a reporter asked. "Yes," she replied, nodding several times.
Her family lost nearly everything in the fire, which also destroyed five more apartments.
Sofiya's mother Yulia Doroshenko was not immediately concerned with her loss of possessions.
"I want to thank them," she said. "I didn't believe this could happen, but it happened and thank you for saving my child," she added.
Sofiya Doroshenko was alone when a fire broke out in her third floor apartment where she lived with her mother and stepfather, authorities said.
When fire-fighters found her standing on the temporary safety of her balcony, they yelling at her to jump.
There was no net, no pad to land on, no ladder to climb down. Fire trucks had yet to arrive to save her.
"I didn't know what to do, and I just listened to them," Sofiya, who had came to the US just five months ago, told CNN affiliate WABC of New York.
Sofiya said she decided to jump because she had no other chance to escape the fire.
Underneath her were three police officers in Mahwah, New Jersey. Their arms were her only exit.
"She was the most confident, brave little kid that I've ever met," said Lieutenant Jeff Dino of the Mahwah Police Department. "She put complete faith in us and when she jumped back we caught her."
The "we" included Sergeant Brendan Mullin and Officer Thomas Solimano, who helped catch the falling girl and kept her from any injuries.
They deflected praise for the rescue.
"I really think she deserves the most credit here because of the way she reacted," Mullin said.
Solimano said that Sofiya was much calmer and cooler under immense pressure than you would expect of a 9-year-old.
"Were you scared?" a reporter asked. "Yes," she replied, nodding several times.
Her family lost nearly everything in the fire, which also destroyed five more apartments.
Sofiya's mother Yulia Doroshenko was not immediately concerned with her loss of possessions.
"I want to thank them," she said. "I didn't believe this could happen, but it happened and thank you for saving my child," she added.
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