North Rhine-Westphalia: Neighbors save a mother with children from a burning apartment

Kamen (dpa / lnw) - Two determined first responders rescued a mother (43) and her two small children from a burning apartment in Kamen on Tuesday.

North Rhine-Westphalia: Neighbors save a mother with children from a burning apartment

Kamen (dpa / lnw) - Two determined first responders rescued a mother (43) and her two small children from a burning apartment in Kamen on Tuesday. One of the neighbors who noticed the fire on the upper floor of the apartment building caught the four and one-year-old children below when the mother let them fall out of the window. The police announced on Wednesday.

The apartment on the upper floor of the house in the Unna district caught fire in the morning for reasons that are still unclear. At this point, the 43-year-old and her two children were still asleep and only woke up from the heavy smoke, it said. Several neighbors and residents noticed the dangerous situation.

While a first responder caught the two children under the window, another kicked in the apartment door and got the woman out. The family suffered minor injuries from the smoke and was taken to the hospital. A firefighter was also slightly injured during the extinguishing work, but remained able to work.

The public order office classified the building as uninhabitable for the time being. According to initial estimates, damage to property amounted to more than 150,000 euros. The criminal police have started the investigation, the fire site is being examined by experts, it said.