3 kids under 13 jump from 2nd story during Akron apartment fire

AKRON, Ohio (WOIO) - Three young kids in Akron had a terrifyingly close call Monday morning. The children narrowly escaped an apartment fire.

The good Samaritan who helped them escape from the blaze spoke exclusively with 19 News.

According to the Akron Fire Department (AFD), firefighters responded to the 700 block of Druid Walk just before 10 a.m.

“Alright we have them on the way,” a 911 dispatcher said. “You said somebody’s trying to get the kids out, right?”

“Yes, they’re on the roof, oh my God!” the caller exclaimed.

A dramatic 911 call captures the tense moments when a neighbor realized three children were trapped inside their apartment as a fire tore through the building.

“Oh my gosh please just jump!” the called yelled at the kids. “Oh my gosh! Oh, Jesus come on come on! Let her go! Okay just jump!”

That neighbor was Starsha Riley.

“I don’t know it was kind of scary just trying to tell somebody to jump and trying to catch them and everything happened so fast,” Riley recalled.

The fire started Monday morning a little before 10 at an apartment on druid walk on Akron’s east side.

“Just smoke, just a lot of black smoke and I watch a ton of law and order I’m thinking it’s gonna blow up so just get as far away from there as possible,” said Riley.

When Riley saw the helpless and terrified children she started encouraging them to jump from their second story window onto the awning.

“I told her to jump,” Riley said. “I told her to jump because they were just standing there and there was just so much smoke coming out of the building. So, I’m like just jump, just jump!”

One by one the three kids jumped from the window to the awning to the ground.

“I’m a mom you know, these is babies,” Riley said. “I wouldn’t have liked the other way like to see the other outcome and me not be able to at least to try to do something.”

The kids were 13, 11, and 6. Akron Fire Lieutenant Robert Langston says they were at home alone at the time.

“There was nothing reported that would indicate that there were any unusual circumstances involved it just appeared to be an accident involving three children at home, mom ran out to the store momentarily and unfortunately she came back to this incident,” Lieutenant Langston said.

All three children escaped safe and sound thanks to the help of Riley and her mom.

“The little girl she just I picked her up and she just squeezed me and I wrapped her with blankets,” Riley said. “My mom got blankets and jackets.”

Lieutenant Langston said the first floor was damaged by fire, and smoke was present throughout the entire apartment. He said the children and mothers would be displaced for a while, but the Red Cross is helping them out with hotels and other support. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

There were no injuries in the fire, but EMS did evaluate several victims.

Editors Note: A previous version of this story gave the incorrect ages for the three children per reports from the Akron Fire Department. We regret the error.