INDIANAPOLIS — One child is in critical condition and three others were taken to the hospital Sunday evening after an apartment fire on the northeast side of Indianapolis.
Firefighters were called to the 4000 block of Windhill Drive, near East 42nd Street and North Post Road, around 6:45 p.m. on a report of an apartment fire.
A teenager told firefighters that his mother had been cooking on the stove and then left the apartment while he was asleep upstairs.
Shortly after his mother left, the teen said heavy smoke began to fill the apartment, and the smoke alarms went off.
The teen ran downstairs and saw fire in the kitchen. According to the Indianapolis Fire Department, he yelled for his siblings and went out the front door.
4 taken to hospital after apartment fire
Neighbors in the apartment complex saw smoke coming out of the apartment and ran to help.
Three of the children jumped out the upstairs window and were caught by the good Samaritans gathered below. The fourth child was still trapped inside the apartment.
Anthony Williams, 24, and Nyles Blair, 21, ran to the apartment to help. The teen told them one of his siblings was still upstairs.
Williams jumped on Blair's shoulders to reach the second-story windowsill, where he was able to see the female child, who was unconscious. Williams grabbed the child and brought her out through the window.
The teen and four children were outside when firefighters arrived.
Four of the five occupants were transported to Riley Hospital for Children. IFD said one child was in critical condition, and the other three who were taken to the hospital were said to be in good condition.
The fire was brought under control at 6:58 p.m., about 10 minutes after firefighters were called to the apartment.