By Tiffany Williams –
NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A family of four made a dramatic escape from a burning New Haven home Friday afternoon after flames left them trapped inside, forcing the parents to jump from the house with their children as firefighters battled the blaze in punishing heat.
The fire broke out at a home on Exchange Street.
New Haven Fire Chief Daniel Coughlin said a mother, father and two children were trapped when the fire erupted.
The mother managed to jump from the second floor.
She injured her back in the fall, but the injury was not considered life-threatening, according to Coughlin.
The father then grabbed both children and jumped from the house onto a trampoline in the front yard.
All three made it to safety.
The escape prevented what could have become a much more serious emergency.
Fire crews remained at the scene at about 1:30 p.m. as flames continued burning in the attic and other parts of the structure.
The outside heat made the firefighting operation even more difficult.
Coughlin said some firefighters were close to suffering heat exhaustion as crews continued working to contain the blaze.
No major injuries were reported.
The fire displaced four adults and two children from the home.
Exchange Street was expected to remain closed between Blatchley Avenue and Lloyd Street while firefighters continued extinguishing hot spots and completing cleanup operations.
The cause of the fire was not included in the information released.
For the family trapped inside, the afternoon became a desperate fight to get out.
One parent jumped from the second floor.
The other took both children and went out onto a trampoline.
And despite the fire, the fall and the dangerous conditions facing crews outside, everyone escaped without a reported life-threatening injury.