ST. PAUL, Minn. - Neighbors played a key role in rescuing four people from a duplex fire early Thursday morning.
Two adults and two children - a 7-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy - jumped from a second story bedroom window and were caught by neighbors at a duplex in the 1000 block of Marion Street around 4:45 a.m.
"Our neighbor's husband got a mattress and he put it down on the ground. They lowered the kids out and we caught them," said Amber Osterson. "We knew we had to get them out safely."
Ostenson said the 7-year-old girl was calm while being lowered from the window and, once safe, was "laughing a little bit and giggling about the fact she jumped out a window."
The other child, a 4-year-old boy, was described as being perfectly calm during the ordeal. Ostenson joked the boy is "enjoying the attention from all the neighbors."
After the two children escaped, firefighters were able to get a ladder up to the window for the adults to escape. The woman slipped off the ladder while escaping the house and suffered an ankle injury. She was transported to the hospital. A firefighter also suffered a minor injury after falling off the roof.
Zaccard said the lone occupant of the first floor was able to escape safely.
Authorities believe the fire started in the back stairs of the residence and say arson is the cause of the fire.
The St. Paul Fire Department says the damage from the fire is estimated at $120,000.
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