A Paris man is being celebrated as a national hero after risking his life to save six people - including two infants - from a burning apartment building.
The dramatic rescue took place on the sixth floor of a residential building in the French capital, where thick smoke was seen billowing from one of the windows.
Video footage captured by TikTok user @diya.pcsso shows 39-year-old Fousseynou Cissé barefoot and balancing on a narrow ledge several stories above the ground.
Despite the life-threatening conditions, Cissé calmly guided terrified residents through the smoke-filled apartment and helped them to safety. In the footage, he can be seen lifting two infants out through a window and handing them off to others before directing four additional people, including adults, along the narrow exterior ledge to a neighboring apartment.
In an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien, Cissé said he acted purely on instinct. “There were lives at stake,” he said. “I didn’t think twice. I just reacted.”
Cissé’s selfless actions quickly gained widespread attention across the world. The New York Post reports that President Emmanuel Macron personally called to thank him for his courage and heroism, while city officials announced plans to formally recognize his bravery in the coming days.
Footage of his heroic efforts has also gone viral across social media platforms and being reported worldwide.
Paris Police Chief Laurent Nuñez confirmed that Cissé will receive a medal for “courage and dedication,” calling his actions a powerful example of heroism in the face of danger, per ABC News.
Local residents have praised Cissé not only for his bravery, but for staying calm and collected in such a terrifying moment. Many online have compared his daring rescue to scenes from an action film, but emphasized that his quick thinking saved real lives.
As France prepares to officially honor him, Cissé remains humble. “I didn’t do it for recognition,” he told Le Parisien. “Anyone would have done the same.”
No major injuries were reported from the fire, and authorities are continuing to investigate the cause.
For now, Parisians, and people around the world, are celebrating the man who didn’t think twice before stepping onto a ledge to save others.