Four members of a family were taken to hospital after a fire tore through a townhouse in Houston’s Greater Heights area, prompting two children and their mother to jump from a third-storey window to escape.
The blaze broke out at about 1.30am on Thursday, 5 November, on Beasley Hills Lane, south-east of East T.C. Jester Boulevard and West 20th Street. Houston Fire Department crews were called to the scene shortly afterwards.
Neighbours rushed to help after hearing screams and seeing flames coming from the property. John Bauer said he and another resident found the mother and her two daughters at the side of the house before encouraging them to follow their voices towards safety.
Mr Bauer caught the first girl as she jumped, while he and another neighbour helped the second child and their mother. The two children were later reported to be doing well.
Houston townhouse fire leaves father critically injured
Officials believe the fire began when a vehicle caught alight inside the garage. The father managed to move the burning car outside, but the flames had already spread into the home.
He suffered severe burns while trying to get his family out and remained in critical condition in hospital. The mother suffered back injuries after jumping from the window, while all four family members were taken to hospitals in the area.
Houston Fire Department District Chief Terry Amaro said the fire was contained to one townhouse. A firewall helped prevent the flames from spreading through the rest of the complex, although the neighbouring unit was damaged during firefighting operations.
Neighbours described the blaze as developing rapidly. Brooke Murski said she woke to screaming and popping noises before seeing the car and house on fire.
“It went from zero to 100, and the flames almost engulfed the house,” she said. “It’s really a miracle that everyone did get out alive.”
No firefighters were reported to have been injured. The cause of the vehicle fire remains under investigation.
