Family trapped by fire in Little Village jumps to safety

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A family had to break out of their apartment and jump to safety overnight, after fire spread through their home in Chicago's Little Village neighborhood.

Firefighters were called to the two-and-a-half story building in the 2400-block of South Pulaski Road around 3:30 a.m. Thursday. Flames engulfed the stairs inside, preventing the family of ten from getting out.

A man, his wife and their three-year-old had to jump onto a neighbor's roof from the second floor.

Another man wasn't able to get out. Firefighters used a ladder to rescue him. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in serious condition with smoke inhalation.

The rest of the family was downstairs, trying to escape with a nine-month-old boy.

"I put him in my shirt. But then I realized I had to break the window. They were hesitating, they kind of didn't know what to do. I took the baby out of my shirt and I gave him to my brother. I tried to lift it up because it wasn't lifting up. I hopped out and they gave me the baby. Then I pushed the trash can toward the window. Then everybody started hopping out," said Isabel Arellano, who lives in the building.

The home was heavily damaged. The family believes they lost everything in the blaze. Seven adults and three children are displaced. But they said they have a place to stay.

The family believes the fire started in the front of the home, but they don't know the cause. Most of the family was sleeping when the fire broke out.

Fire officials are investigating.