Little Elm police officers honored after saving children from burning home

LITTLE ELM, Texas - A pair of police officers in the town of Little Elm say they were just doing their jobs when they helped rescue two children from a burning home.

The Rescue

The backstory:

Last Wednesday, two Little Elm police officers were the first to arrive at this home on Whistler Drive.

A neighbor called 911 saying the house was on fire and two children were still inside. 

Officer Marcial Cordero and Officer Chavez wasted no time.

Body camera footage shows Chavez rescuing a young girl.

Once he got her outside to safety, he learned there was still one more kid inside and Officer Cordero didn't hesitate.

"I heard him say that the other child was upstairs, and I went up the stairs and tried to stay low because it was super smokey and I didn’t want to breathe all that in," said Cordero. "I go inside, and I didn’t know if she was unconscious or not, so I was trying to wake her up, luckily she was not unconscious. She was kind of dazed and confused about what was going on." 

Cordero was able to get the older child out of the house as fire crews pulled up.

Officers honored

During Tuesday night's Little Elm city council meeting, both officers received the life-saving award and medal of valor for their heroic and selfless acts. 

What they're saying:

"It’s just beyond humbling," said Officer Chavez. "Literally just doing our jobs what the community expects. My kids think I’m a superhero already... so, it’s just, it’s just, humbling is the only word I can think of." 

"I really do enjoy helping people. I know that’s a cliché, but when people ask me why’d you become a cop, it’s because I like helping people," continued Chavez.   

"I see it as just doing my job. I don’t see myself as a hero. I’m just doing my job," said Cordero. "I was mostly worried about the kids. I wasn’t thinking about myself at all at the time. I just wanted everybody to get out safely."