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Bodycam video shows chaotic scene, rescues at fiery salon crash

The video captures the pure chaos of the moment as children scream for help and smoke pours from the building.

NEW ORLEANS — A fire grew wildly out of control as New Orleans police officers raced to the Unity-1 Beauty Supply and Hair Salon on March 20.

Seconds earlier, a stolen SUV crashed into the building at Washington and South Broad.

It was the end of a quick chase that turned deadly just as fast.

Three people were killed: two teens accused of driving the stolen SUV and 54-year-old Schwann Herbert, a regular at the beauty parlor.

“How do you get upstairs?” an officer shouts. “Everybody out!”

The video, obtained by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate, shows the chaotic moments after the crash. First responders grab a ladder.

“Get the (expletive) kid down! Come on! Come on! Come on, man!” and officer shouts “Come on, bro!”

The bodycam footage shows the officers rushing to get people, including children, out of a second-floor apartment as the fire grows larger.

RELATED: 4 NOPD officers fired, 2 more suspended after investigation into Unity-1 Salon crash

RELATED: 'We are resilient': Salon owner promises to rebuild after deadly crash

A little girl screams at one point. Officers shout over one another. Ultimately, an officer helps a boy off the ladder.

“Is there any more kids in there?” he asks.

An officer climbs up the ladder. One girl appears to freeze as she climbs down the ladder.

“Come on, babe!” an officer shouts.

“Who else is inside?” another asks.

“Come on, babe! Jump off! Jump off, babe!” one officer urges. “Jump off!”

“Just jump!” she’s told. “Let’s go!”

Officers Alex Mikkelsen, Jonathan Broom, Jeffrey Harrington and Alex Florian were fired. But a recent agreement between them and the city let their records show that they resigned since they did not appeal their firings.

RELATED: Unity-1 fundraiser to help rebuild after deadly salon fire

RELATED: At vigil for salon fire victims, family members and first responders embrace

It took just 52 seconds and little more than a half-mile for an attempted recovery of a stolen car in Broadmoor this March to result in a fiery crash that destroyed a beauty store, killed three people and cost four New Orleans Police Department officers their jobs.

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