Contacted by phone Monday evening after he received a lifesaving award and valor award for actions during a house fire in the city in April 2025, Capt. Nick Wukovich of the Altoona Fire Department apologized profusely and begged to be understood for being unwilling to describe what it was like to be trapped in a closet during a “flashover,” while trying to rescue a trio of children, who themselves had been trapped.

But Wukovich, who received those honors along with Capt. Cameron Sunderland, wasn’t reluctant to credit the larger department contingent on scene that evening on the 100 block of East Fourth Avenue, including those who came into that room to knock down the fire and rescue him, after he called a “Mayday.”

“Those guys on the outside that day saved my life,” Wukovich said.

Last October, Wukovich and Sunderland received “Spirit of Courage” awards from a consortium of Allentown-area organizations for their actions that April day.

The awards bestowed Monday were from their own leadership at the Altoona Fire Department, and they included a Unit Citation Award denoting “exceptional teamwork, professionalism, courage and dedication while operating together” for the men whom Wukovich credited for his survival: Assistant Chief Steve Osmolinski, Capt. Brian Caldwell, firefighter Robert Seiler, Capt. Jeff Hall, firefighter Matt Rhoa, Engineer Shawn Daughenbaugh, Capt. Trent Miller, engineer Ben Parrish and engineer Kevin Kuhn.

“We had some hardships to overcome (that day),” Wukovich said. “(But) those guys were phenomenal.”

When Wukovich arrived, he saw a 17-year-old girl hanging out of a small attic window holding two small children, and went inside in an attempt to reach them, according to the prior citation.

When Sunderland arrived, he climbed a ladder to that attic window, then descended the ladder with two of the three children, who were small, one at a time, according to the earlier citation.

Sunderland went back up the ladder a third time for the 17-year-old, but “the fire flashed over inside, sending thick smoke, fire and heat straight to the attic window, trapping Wukovich inside the room, according to the earlier citation.

The window was too small for Sunderland to pull the 17-year-old through, so he and the girl were stuck there, “enduring thick smoke, zero visibility and high heat,” according to the earlier citation.

Because the girl was struggling to breathe, Sunderland “put his air mask on her and pulled her as far out as he could, using his body to cover her and protect her from the heat and smoke,” according to the prior citation.

The firefighter and the girl stayed there for six to eight minutes, until the ladder truck could reach them, enabling the sash of the window to be knocked out, after which Sunderland persuaded the girl onto the roof ladder, then into the ladder truck, according to the prior citation.

When the flashover happened, Caldwell, who had been helping Sunderland, had gone in to help Wukovich.

Sunderland was afflicted with severe smoke inhalation and Wukovich with second-degree burns on his hands, according to the prior citation.

The actions on which the awards are based “reflect countless hours of training, preparation, sacrifice and dedication,” stated Monday’s citation, read by Fire Chief Adam Free. “They symbolize the commitment these firefighters make each and every day to protect the lives and property of the citizens we serve.”

Councilman Dave Ellis was at the scene that day in 2025.

“The work that was done was absolutely unbelievable,” Ellis said, describing an injured firefighter being taken away in an ambulance, while another was being wheeled down the sidewalk in a litter, as still others continued working. “I was just in awe there of their professionalism and the way they took care of business.”

Councilman Jesse Ickes was at home getting ready for bed when he heard sirens — lots of them — which got his attention and led him to turn on a scanner.

Then he heard Wukovich’s Mayday call.

“There are only a few people in this world who run towards danger to take care of someone,” he said.

Mirror Staff Writer William Kibler is at 814-949-7038.