PORTSMOUTH, Va. — Portsmouth Fire Rescue and Emergency Services battled a house fire Friday morning.
Now, the house is left with the windows broken, charred walls inside, and the siding of the home melted from the flames' heat. Yellow tape surrounds the home where children's toys lay strewn about the yard next to charred pieces of the house.
According to a news release, officials got the call at 11:29 a.m. to respond to the 200 block of Wall Street.
Five minors were in the home when the fire started, with ages ranging from 1 to 16, according to fire officials.
"We heard the 'pop!' and we saw the flames coming from that window," said Erica Barner, who was visiting her friend right next door when the fire broke out.
A maternal instinct kicked in for Barner the second she realized a major fire broke out inside the home. She said children lived in the home, and she didn't hesitate to spring into action.
"We're moms, so our first reaction was to go out and see if the kids are alright," said Barner. "Saw a lot of smoke. We couldn't see, but around the back, we saw a few kids running out. We grabbed the kids and we noticed the oldest was severely burnt."
Another neighbor said he saw the flames and the children escape the house. He said he cut the power off to the home to help prevent any more problems on the scene.
As for Barner, she said this is a situation of just one mom helping another.
"It's just that simple. I'm a mom, and I would only hope that someone would do the same for mine if I were in that situation," she said.
A spokesperson with Portsmouth Fire & Rescue said the 1-year-old and 16-year-old are still in the hospital with serious injuries. The remaining children were treated and released from the hospital this afternoon.
The fire marshal deemed the fire accidental due to an electrical short.