A toddler was thrown and a teen jumped from a second-story window to escape a fire that tore through a Northeast D.C. home early Sunday, leaving a woman in critical condition.
The four occupants of the duplex at 400 block of Madison Street Northeast were all able to escape — and a family dog got out, too.
Firefighters say that an overheated surge protector likely caught some furniture on fire just before 5 a.m. Smoke alarms went off in the house, alerting the adults and children inside.
A 2-year-old boy was tossed from a second-story window and a 14-year-old girl jumped to escape the flames tearing through the home, D.C. Fire and EMS said. They were hospitalized with injuries that are not life-threatening.
An older woman was critically injured and taken to a hospital. One neighbor told News4 she came outside when she heard the children screaming and found that a grandmother was hurt.
"I came out to see if the children were OK," she said. "The grandmother actually was lying on the ground... she did move her head a little bit but I know that she was probably hurting."
A firefighter was also hospitalized but is expected to recover.
The family dog couldn't be found after the fire — until a reporter spotted the small pet "running frightened" around the streets, D.C. Fire said. Eventually, he was coaxed into safety and is being cared for by a neighbor.
Firefighters say the smoke detectors in the home saved lives.
Eight people were displaced and are being helped by the Red Cross, firefighters say.
