Houston Fire Rescue: Neighbor Catches Kids Jumping From Burning Townhome

Two children survived a fire in Houston's Greater Heights neighborhood after a neighbor caught them as they jumped from a third-story window. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday along Beasley Hills Lane. The family of four is currently recovering, with two members remaining hospitalized.

John Bauer heard popping noises and saw an orange glow while sleeping. He looked outside and spotted a vehicle on fire. He called 911 and ran toward the house with another resident. They heard screaming from the side of the property and located the mother and her two daughters. The group jumped a fence to get closer. Bauer encouraged the family to follow their voices. He caught the first girl as she leaped. He and the other neighbor caught the second child. They also helped the mother descend from the window.

"It was a pretty significant fire going on," Bauer said. "There was a lot of smoke." He added that he is grateful the girls are safe and hopes the parents recover fully.

Houston Fire Department officials believe the fire started in the garage. The father managed to move the burning car out of the structure, but the flames had already spread into the home. He suffered severe burns while attempting to evacuate his family. The mother sustained back injuries after jumping from the window. The father remains in critical condition. The two daughters are reported to be okay.

Brooke Murski, another neighbor, woke up to the same popping sounds and saw the flames. She noted that the situation escalated rapidly. "It went from zero to 100, and the flames almost engulfed the house," Murski said. "It’s really a miracle that everyone did get out alive." Other residents rushed out of their homes to assist the family.

The fire was contained to the single townhome. Authorities are still investigating the exact cause of the blaze. Community members are gathering to support the family during their recovery period.