A Philadelphia man is being hailed a hero after climbing a 19-story burning apartment complex on Thursday to save his mom trapped inside on the 15th floor. 

"As kids, we used to jump roofs," Jermaine said to 6 ABC, adding that he also worked as a roofer and construction worker. "Glad I had the practice."

The incident occurred at the Westpark Apartments high-rise, where Jermaine's 65-year-old bedridden mother Sheila was cornered. According to Jermaine, the 35-year-old received a call from his sister that his mother couldn't escape her unit as the fire worsened. 

Jermaine first tried the front door, only to realize police had blocked the entryway.

"They said the elevators are not working," he said. "I said, 'No problem. I'll take the steps. I just want to make sure my mother … my mother is sick, she's bedridden. So I need to get up there.' They were like 'we can't let you in.' I took it upon myself because that's my mother. There's no limits. That's my mother."

Per NBC Philadelphia, it took Jermaine no more than three minutes to climb back down the 15 floors, which equals about 200 feet. 

"He climbed about 200 feet down on what looked like basically chain-link fencing and then the railings of each apartment building," Jeremy Haas, a SkyForce10 pilot, said.

While Jermaine was not injured during this stunt, earlier in the day he did injure himself when he tumbled down a set of stairs and cracked his hip. But, when it comes to the well-being of his mother, Jermaine said it was all worth it.

"All for my mom's safety, period. I wasn't worried about mine at all. She can't get out of the bed or walk around so if there's a fire she needs help out."

Apart from four bystanders and three firefighters who received treatment for smoke inhalation, everyone including Jermaine's mother escaped the blaze unharmed. A compassionate officer even let Jermaine go without any citations or arrests.

"He told me if I didn't leave I was going straight to jail. Because that was his job. But, he actually did cut me a break. He understood the circumstances, he knew — when your adrenaline is pumping, and your mom is up there, you thinking she's dying — you'd do anything you can," Jermaine said.

Authorities have not disclosed what caused the fire.