SAN ANTONIO – Three children who were home alone Monday morning escaped a fire by jumping out of a second-floor apartment window into the arms of a police officer, fire officials said.
San Antonio officer Tim Bowen was the first to arrive at the scene shortly after the fire was reported around 8 a.m. at the Coronado Apartments in the 9500 block of Lorene Street on the city's North Side.
Bowen convinced three girls, ages 7, 8, and 9, to jump out a window and into his arms. But a 4-year-old boy was afraid and ran back inside the unit and hid under a bed, fire officials said. Firefighters rescued him. A dog in a neighboring apartment died.
The fire spread to four units, three which had residents living in them. Most of the residents got out on their own, fire officials said.
Fire officials said the fire started in a stairway that had no electricity. Arson officials were called in to investigate.