FD: Big fire destroys units of north Phoenix fourplex

PHOENIX - Fire officials say several Phoenix residents will need another place to stay after a fire early Sunday morning in a north Phoenix  fourplex.

According to Phoenix fire spokesman Jonathan Jacobs, the fire started around 3:30 a.m. at 17th Avenue and Yucca Street, just north of Peoria Avenue.

Crews said the fire started on the balcony of a family of four's apartment on the second floor of the building.

Fire officials credit smoke alarms and two hikers with helping save lives after the blaze broke out.

Larry Nunez with the Phoenix Fire Department said two hikers saw the flames and rushed to the apartment to knock on the door and wake the family inside.

The family could not get out, so the mother and father had to throw their 4-month-old baby and 8 year old out the window to the hikers from the second floor.

The woman and her husband jumped from the window to escape the fire. The woman suffered a broken leg, her husband broke his jaw. All four were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation but are expected to be okay.

The family said they've lost pretty much everything, but are lucky to be alive. They are staying with relatives until they can find another place to live.

The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.