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Off-duty Syracuse cop saves 2 dogs from burning home

The officer was on his way to work when he saw heavy smoke and heard dogs barking from inside the home

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Officer James Nowodworski with a dog he saved from a house fire July 16, 2020 in Cicero, New York.

Photo/Syracuse Police Department

By Catie O’Toole
Syracuse Media Group, N.Y.

CICERO, N.Y. — Syracuse Police Officer James Nowodworski was on his way to work Thursday afternoon when he saw heavy smoke billowing from a Cicero home.

Nowodworski stopped at 5384 Guy Young Road and heard dogs barking inside at 2:12 p.m., state police said. He tried several times to see if anyone was inside, but when no one answered he entered and started searching the home, troopers said.

That’s when Nowodworski found two dogs and rescued them, state police said.

State police, Cicero police, Onondaga County sheriff’s deputies, and Brewerton, Central Square, Clay, Caughdenoy, Cicero, South Bay and West Monroe volunteer firefighters responded to the scene.

Firefighters were able to quickly contain the fire to the garage area, state police said. No one was injured in the fire.

Nowodworski was sworn in as a Syracuse police officer in July 2018, records show. He could not immediately be reached for comment.

The fire remains under investigation, according to the Brewerton Fire Department.

©2020 Syracuse Media Group, N.Y.

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