Five Injured, Three Critically, In Indianapolis House Fire

Three of five people rescued from a house fire on Indianapolis' south side early Monday morning were listed in critical condition Monday afternoon. Investigators said two children and an adult were listed in critical condition. Another adult was listed in serious condition. All of the victims were taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital. The blaze began at about 4:30 a.m. at a duplex in the 700 block of East Morris Street, 6News' Julie Pursley The people who were living on the other side of the duplex told firefighters that their dog woke them up and they were able to escape safely. Neighbors who were awakened by the commotion watched as Indianapolis firefighters pulled victims from the house. "I saw them throw the babies out and they took them to the ambulance," one resident said. "They found the victims, children upstairs in the center bedroom and they passed them down the ladder," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Gregg Harris. The three adults were also helped out of the smoke-filled home. One neighbor told 6News that at least one of the victims had been burned in the face and that another was brought out unconscious. Investigators said a woman who lives at the home told them the fire began in the kitchen and was caused by an overloaded power strip. Firefighters and neighbors told 6News that the duplex had caught fire before. Code enforcement officials were called in to investigate. Fire crews said there were no working smoke detectors in either side of the duplex. The Indianapolis Fire Department hands out smoke detectors for free. They can be obtained at any fire station.