Toddler Tossed, Caught By Neighbor While Others Jump From Second Story Window During Fire

By Bay City News—

Three people jumped to safety and a 3-year-old child was thrown from a second-floor window to a neighbor on the ground during a fire at a Hayward apartment late Thursday night, a spokesman said.
 
Crews responded to multiple reports of a fire in the 22000 block of Seventh Street just before 11 p.m. Thursday, Hayward fire spokesman Don Nichelson said.
 
Arriving firefighters located heavy smoke and fire coming from a top floor apartment of a two-story, four-unit building, Nichelson said. Nichelson said five residents were in the home when the fire broke out. Three adults had to jump from a bedroom window to the ground about 25 feet down.

A 3-year-old child was thrown from the window and was caught by a neighbor waiting below, according to Nichelson. The child was transported to a hospital for evaluation but was uninjured.

Two adults were injured from the jump. The extent of their injuries was not immediately available. No other injuries were reported.
 
The fire, which originated in the kitchen, was knocked down at about 11:15 p.m. Nichelson said the apartment was a total loss. The three other apartments in the building sustained smoke and water damage but were salvageable.
 
Twelve residents in the building were displaced in the blaze. The cause remains under investigation, Nichelson said.