Family escapes house fire on 10th Avenue West | News

BIRMINGHAM, AL (WBRC)- Firefighters worked for nearly three hours this evening to put out a house fire on 10th Avenue West in Birmingham.

The mother of the family living in the house said she, her son, her 10-year-old daughter and two-month-old niece were inside napping when she smelled smoke.

The family rushed outside as quickly as they could, but she said it was difficult for her son, who uses a cane to get around.

When firefighters arrived, they said much of the house was engulfed when they arrived. To make matters worse, they also said somone drove over a hose and cut off the water.

"If you see us fighting fires and the hose is laid, don't run over the hose. That's against the law. If the police catch you, you are going to jail. You put the firefighters' lives in danger as well as the people we're trying to save," Fire Chief Ivor Brooks said.

Red Cross is assisting the family tonight but the cause of the fire remains unknown. The house was recently renovated and a new air conditioning unit installed less than a week ago, so some people close to the case fear that activity may have had something to do with the fire.

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