NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — The 10 residents of a duplex in Westmoreland County all escaped a massive fire on Sunday morning.
Westmoreland County 911 officials tell Channel 11 that the fire started in a residence on McCargo Street just before 8 a.m. Firefighters were on scene in eight minutes from the first 911 call.
Still, videos shared with Channel 11 showed that at one point, flames and thick black smoke were pouring from the building.
The fire chief tells Channel 11 that flames are believed to have started in the unit that faces McCargo Street, where a family of six lived. He says the entire family is lucky to be alive.
The dad got out of the home first, by crawling out of a window onto a porch roof and jumping to the ground. The mom then got all the kids out of the window and onto the roof, then threw them down to their dad below.
She then jumped from the roof and broke her leg.
All six are getting treatment at area hospitals.
A family of four in the other unit, which faces Freeport Road, also made it out safely, the chief said. Firefighters rescued a bird and some fish from that unit.
One resident in that unit was treated for smoke inhalation.
It took just under an hour for the fire to be brought under control.
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