PARIS, FRANCE – A man is being hailed as a hero in France after risking his life to save six people, including two infants, from a burning apartment building on Friday, July 4.
What we know:
The rescue unfolded on the sixth floor of a residential building in Paris, where smoke was seen pouring from a window.
Video shared on TikTok by @diya.pcsso shows 39-year-old Fousseynou Cissé balancing barefoot on a narrow ledge as he directs terrified residents through the thick smoke.
At one point, Cissé can be seen helping two infants through the window and toward safety before guiding four others, including adults, across the ledge to a neighboring apartment.
In an interview with the French news outlet Le Parisien, Cissé said he didn’t hesitate.
“There were lives at stake. I didn’t calculate; it was instinct.” he said.
His bravery caught national attention, including a personal phone call from President Emmanuel Macron, who praised Cissé’s quick thinking and courage. The city is expected to formally honor him in the coming days.
Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez said he will be awarding Cissé a medal for his “courage and devotion”.
