Woman trapped in apartment escapes fire

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - Fire officials say a woman was preparing to jump out of her third story window to escape a fire in Orange County Friday night.

It broke out at an apartment complex off West Colonial Drive near Hiawassee Road at around 6:45 p.m.

When FOX 35 arrived at the scene, firefighters were working on the roof of one of the buildings, where smoke was still spilling out.

According to Orange County Fire Assistant Chief Brian Morrow, the fire was in two units, one on the second floor and one on the third floor.

He says while crews were responding, they got a report of a woman on the third floor with her legs out the window trying to escape. By the time crews went inside to get her, Morrow says the woman was already out of her apartment. He thinks she may have decided to crawl to her door.

Fire officials say the woman had minor injuries and that everyone got out of the building safely.

“We knocked it down very quickly because it did flash up on the third floor across the entire breezeway so now were just in extensive overhaul because it extended up into the ceiling so we have crews on the roof trying to cut a hole out to get all the hot spots,” Morrow said.

Crews were on scene for several hours. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.