Bragging Rights

[WAS967 97]

April 24, 2004 -- Flames tear through a building in Hillside, Queens,

yesterday. Cops said they rescued tenants at the scene. Firefighters said

they rescued the cops. NYPD heroes Michael Mitchell (left) and John Johnson.

In another round in the city's ongoing battle of the badges, cops and

firefighters played a game of dueling press releases yesterday, with each

taking credit for saving lives at a house fire in Queens.

This much is certain: A fire broke out at around 6:40 a.m. in a three-story

apartment building at 172-33 Jamaica Ave. in Hillside.

According to a police press release, "An off-duty detective on his way to

work observed a building fire at the above location. He immediately stopped,

entered the building and rescued six occupants."

Minutes later, two officers arrived and "assisted in the rescue operation by

forging into the building to look for more victims," said the police

release, issued at around 10:30 a.m.

The police statement further said Detective Chojone Maye and Officers

Michael Mitchell and John Johnson were treated for smoke inhalation.

But according to the Fire Department, the two officers had to be saved from

their own bravery.

"Members of FDNY Engine Company 315 successfully rescued two police officers

trapped in a second alarm fire," said a Fire Department press release issued

two hours after the police release.

The officers tried to reach the blaze on the third floor "but were trapped

on the floor below and required the assistance of a portable ladder to exit

the window," the Fire Department said.

Neither press release mentioned the other department's role in saving lives.

When asked how they could have issued two accounts of a fire that so

carefully omitted each others' efforts, firefighters and police finally

issued tepid compliments to the other.

"They did rescue a few people," acknowledged Keith Devenish, a driver for

Engine Co. 315.

Meanwhile, a police spokesperson - who didn't want to talk on the record -

downplayed the Fire Department's effort to rescue the cops, saying only that

they "provided a ladder for them to come down."

And some building residents offered a third version of the story.

"No one rescued us," said Rita Herrera, who lived on the second floor. "We

walked out ourselves."