VIDEO: Officers hailed as heroes for rescuing people trapped inside burning car

ATLANTA — Five Atlanta police officers are being hailed as heroes after risking their own lives to help two men trapped inside a burning car.

The officers' body cameras showed how dangerous the rescue was.

The incident happened during the early hours of Wednesday morning along Interstate 85 at Cheshire Bridge Road.

"We were hearing the screams from the guys. I mean, to hear somebody scream and ask for help -- you're trying to help them -- but you really can't because they're pinned inside," Atlanta police Officer Bill Brooks told Channel 2’s Berndt Petersen.

Atlanta police said a driver and passenger, both badly hurt, were trapped inside a burning car.

"Our main goal at the time was to get those guys out. We weren't concerned about our safety at the time. It was for their safety," Officer D. Daniel said.

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The five officers rushed straight toward the flames, attacked it with their extinguishers, tossed a tub of water on the car and used their batons to bust the windows.

"We all just took a window. Just kept banging on it to knock the windows out," Officer Elijah McCall told Petersen.

"We were so close to the fire, we didn't even think about how hot it was or our safety," Officer Andre Valentine said.

It turned out to be a life-saving act. They got the victims out and the fire department finished off the flames.

"Sometimes you question why you'd run into a situation where a car is fully engulfed. But the training they give us, and the fact that signed up for this job to help people -- I never second guess that," Brooks said.

The victims were badly injured in the incident, but are now recovering.

Cox Media Group