Fire tore through a home overnight killing a man, a woman, her son and a dog despite the efforts of neighbors and firefighters to save them.
The blaze broke out at a three-story duplex along the 700 block of Spring Garden Street in Easton, Northampton County, Pa. around 1:30 a.m. Monday.
A family of five lived in the upper level apartment where the fire appeared to have started near a clothes dryer that was left running overnight, according to officials.
Firefighters rescued some people but it was too late for James Strickland, Joy Lozier, 24, and her 4-year-old son Makai. The three victims were trapped on the second and third floors.
Firefighters got the blaze under control by 2:10 a.m. and found two of the victims. Lozier was flown to the burn unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, where the Lehigh County coroner's office said she was later pronounced dead.
Neighbor Jason Soto lives next door. He jumped into rescue mode to get a child out of the house.
"I ran upstairs just hoping I could help in some way," said Soto.
"... I see the lady in the house that’s burning is hanging out the third street window with a child in her arms, screaming," said Soto. "I run back upstairs, with my middle son, we run upstairs to my daughter’s room, which is on the third floor also, I come out on the little ledge to try and grab the kid from her, to bring the kid to safety at least, I grab the kid, hand him off to my son."
Soto then pulled the woman into his home. He said she had burns on her arms. Easton Fire Chief John Bast said she was taken to the burn unit. Four officers also suffered from smoke inhalation and were treated and released.
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The family dog also didn't make it out.
Investigators have not yet revealed the cause of the fire. They also say there were no smoke detectors inside the home.
The landlord said that he thought there were smoke detectors in the home.
