Parents had to drop kids to firefighters below to escape Windsor house fire

The fire chief in Windsor, N.S., says a woman's bravery saved a family of fourafter fire gutted a two-and-a-half storey duplex early this morning.

Windsor Fire Department Chief Jamie Juteausaid firefighters were called to a report of a car fire at a home on King Street near Gerrish Street.

By the time Juteau arrived minutes later, he said a 2018 Hyundai Elantra and another vehicle were on fire and the flames had spread to the house.

He said a woman living in one half of the duplex escaped with her children andran next door to wake up her neighbours. Juteau said at that point the fire had engulfed the front of the building.

"The neighbour there went over and actually roused the tenants that were asleep," he said.

"She was very brave in doing so witha substantial risk to herself and hadshe not done that, this would have been a whole other discussion today. I would be surprised it they had even gotten out. She was very brave and she made a real big difference today."

Once awake, the family inside ran to the rear of the house to the back deck where they were trapped because of the height.

"They actuallythrewthe children down. I caught one and carried [the child] out to the ambulance and then went back to the other in the car seat," said Juteau.

Another firefighter and an RCMP officer then helped the parents escape from the deck.

"It was actually quite aneffort," said Juteau.

Thankfully no one was injured. Everyone was examined at the scene but did not need to go to hospital.

Juteau said despitehelp from numerous neighbouring fire departments, the building is likely a total loss.

"I would say it's going to have to come down. That would be my initial guess," he said.

The Canadian Red Cross has arranged emergency housing, meals, clothing and other essentials for the young couple and their two children, ages six months and five years,who needed to be rescued off their back deck.

According to a news release, the Red Cross said the woman and her family in the other half of the duplex are staying with relatives.

The investigation into the cause of the fire continues.