WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A mother and her four-year-old daughter were rescued after a fire broke out in their Winter Haven home early Wednesday morning.
Officials said around 1:25 a.m., the Winter Haven Fire Department and Winter Haven Police arrived at the house on 11th Street SE after a neighbor reported seeing flames.
Officers and firefighters attempted to rouse anyone inside of the house but were unsuccessful. Officials said the fire was shooting through the roof at the back of the house.
Firefighters then breached the front door, and heavy smoke billowed from the home, finding the mother just inside the door disoriented, confused, and unaware of the fire shortly after. The mother and her daughter had been sleeping in the front part of the house.
When she was told the home was on fire, the mother began to scream about her daughter, running back into the house to retrieve her. Firefighters ran after her, quickly getting to the mother and daughter and bringing them both to safety.
EMS personnel checked for injuries, and neither required any medical attention while firefighters extinguished the flames.
There were no injuries to any firefighters or officers. Officials said the mother and daughter will be staying with family members, and the Red Cross was notified for additional assistance.
The fire is still being investigated while officials work to determine a cause.
“Our highly-trained firefighters ran into an extremely dangerous situation to rescue this mother and daughter and, no doubt, saved their lives,” said Fire Chief Sonny Emery. “I applaud the neighbor for the immediate call at the early-morning hour when most people are asleep.”
