8 people climb onto roof to escape Ballard fire
SEATTLE - Eight people escaped a blaze that destroyed their house in the Ballard neighborhood by climbing onto a rooftop where they were rescued by police and firefighters with just minutes to spare.
View more photos of the house fire »
One of the eight, a woman in her 70s, was seriously injured when she jumped from the roof into the arms of rescuers, but she is expected to survive, officials said.
Six others climbed down on ladders that fire crews provided just minutes before flames began chewing through the roof. One person, a young man, jumped off the roof before firefighters arrived. He was uninjured.
The dramatic rescue unfolded in the early morning hours Friday as huge flames spewed from the windows of the two-story home near NW 65th Street and 9th Avenue NW in Ballard.
Lt. Sue Stangl of the Seattle Fire Department said someone called 911 from inside the home at about 4 a.m.
By the time fire crews arrived, just a few minutes later, they found flames already shooting from the home and seven desperate residents on the roof. The eighth person already was on the ground.
Six of the people were together on one part of the roof, but the grandmother of the family was isolated on a separate section of the roof away from the others.
As the flames approached her, she jumped from the roof into the arms of a firefighter and police officer who were standing 10 feet below.
The woman was then rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where she is listed in serious condition from injuries sustained in the jump. She is expected to recover.
A young teenage girl, who was only wearing a T-shirt when she was rescued, suffered burns to her hands and was also taken to Harborview. She is in satisfactory condition.
"She was standing on the side of the street, her hands were burned and she just had a T-shirt on," said Holly Yeager, who witnessed the blaze. "The neighbors tried to offer clothing, but they were just in too much shock."
The remaining six people were treated for minor injuries and taken to Harborview for observation. All residents of the home were accounted for.
The stubborn blaze was still raging two hours after firefighters first began battling the flames, and was still smoldering at 7 a.m.
The cause of the blaze is unknown, but neighbors said it appeared to start at the front of the home.
View more photos of the house fire »
One of the eight, a woman in her 70s, was seriously injured when she jumped from the roof into the arms of rescuers, but she is expected to survive, officials said.
Six others climbed down on ladders that fire crews provided just minutes before flames began chewing through the roof. One person, a young man, jumped off the roof before firefighters arrived. He was uninjured.
The dramatic rescue unfolded in the early morning hours Friday as huge flames spewed from the windows of the two-story home near NW 65th Street and 9th Avenue NW in Ballard.
Lt. Sue Stangl of the Seattle Fire Department said someone called 911 from inside the home at about 4 a.m.
By the time fire crews arrived, just a few minutes later, they found flames already shooting from the home and seven desperate residents on the roof. The eighth person already was on the ground.
Six of the people were together on one part of the roof, but the grandmother of the family was isolated on a separate section of the roof away from the others.
As the flames approached her, she jumped from the roof into the arms of a firefighter and police officer who were standing 10 feet below.
The woman was then rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where she is listed in serious condition from injuries sustained in the jump. She is expected to recover.
A young teenage girl, who was only wearing a T-shirt when she was rescued, suffered burns to her hands and was also taken to Harborview. She is in satisfactory condition.
"She was standing on the side of the street, her hands were burned and she just had a T-shirt on," said Holly Yeager, who witnessed the blaze. "The neighbors tried to offer clothing, but they were just in too much shock."
The remaining six people were treated for minor injuries and taken to Harborview for observation. All residents of the home were accounted for.
The stubborn blaze was still raging two hours after firefighters first began battling the flames, and was still smoldering at 7 a.m.
The cause of the blaze is unknown, but neighbors said it appeared to start at the front of the home.
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