A French Muslim man who risked his life by entering a burning building to help rescue 17 people, including a baby, is being hailed as a hero.

According to French media, a fire broke out in a two-story building in Romans-sur-Isere in southeastern France.

Ezzedine Hamdi, a baker at the Fournil de Jacquemart bakery underneath the building, was one of the few people to be awake in the early morning when the fire broke out.

When he heard screams, he exited his bakery and saw that the building above was in flames.

He then called firefighters and it quickly emerged that 17 people were trapped.

But Ezzedine didn’t hesitate or wait for the firefighters. He used a ladder to climb up to a window where a woman handed him her baby. After he took the baby to safety, he went back up to help her. The firefighters then arrived and took over.

With Ezzedine Hamdi praised as a hero in the neighborhood and on social media, numerous Twitter users said he is deserving of a Legion of Honor, France’s highest order of merit.

Source: 5pillarsuk