“Right now the phone line is going crazy and it’s all news people. The calls are coming from all over the country.”

Teel Coleman, acting as receptionist in Mayor Cory Booker’s office, couldn’t answer the calls coming in fast enough. “Good morning. Mayor’s office. Please hold.” Someone just called from London,” Coleman announced, “She wanted an interview about the mayor’s heroic actions.”

And, according to Newark Fire Director Fateen Ziyad, Mayor Booker’s rush into a burning house was even more impressive.

Those same sentiments were echoed by Newark Fire Chief John Centanni. “It was a legitimate rescue. It was an heroic effort by the Mayor and his staff. It wasn’t just walking into a little smoke and walking out. Everybody was in grave danger.”

Cory Booker’s “heroic actions” didn’t come as a complete surprise to either. “That’s his character. That’s his personality.” They both agreed with Ziyad, in good humor, likening Booker to the comic book hero Superman. “The mayor, being who he is, rushed in. He changed from the mayor into Super Fireman. Going through burning buildings to rescue people.”