x
Breaking News
More () »

12-year-old boy taken to CHKD after apartment fire in Norfolk

Firefighters rescued two people from an apartment that caught fire on Fort Worth Avenue.

NORFOLK, Va. — Firefighters were able to knock down flames that broke out at an apartment in Norfolk early Friday morning.

According to Norfolk Fire-Rescue, the fire started at an apartment building in the 300 block of Forth Worth Ave. shortly after 5 a.m. Crews were able to contain the flames just a little after 6 a.m

Firefighters rescued a 12-year-old boy and his father from the building. Medics took him to Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters to be treated, but it's unknown at this time what the extent of his injuries are.

The sound of a fire burning woke tenant Paulette Davis from her bed.

“It’s like the whole back was lit up like a Christmas tree, and we kept just hearing a pop pop pop,” said Davis.

She said she’s lived in this apartment complex, on Fort Worth Avenue for 11 years.

Now four units, including hers, are unlivable.

“I’m just in utter shock, I just can’t believe it,” said Davis.

When she saw the smoke coming towards her unit, she said she tried to wake her neighbors and called 911.

Soon after, Davis and other neighbors ran outside and noticed a father and son on the second floor didn’t wake up.

“We couldn’t get their attention. They would not get up and by the time they got up, it was too much smoke. They had to get rescued through the window,” said Davis.

Norfolk firefighters only took six minutes to get to the fire.

When they arrived, Battalion Chief Garry Windley, said firefighters pulled the father out the front window and carried the 12-year-old boy down the stairs.

“That’s our number one priority, is life safety and the rescue of those occupants,” said Windley.

EMS crews drove the boy to CHKD.

Windley said crews arrived as flames blew from one unit’s balcony and out the door.

13News Now spoke to that tenant, who said he made it out safely on his own.

With lots of effort, firefighters got the flames out in sixteen minutes.

Now six adults and three kids are receiving help from Red Cross as the fire marshal investigates what sparked the flames.

This is a developing story. 

Before You Leave, Check This Out