A couple climbed out a second-floor window Thursday morning when heavy smoke and rising flames blocked their escape through the hallway of a burning Garden Grove apartment building.
The fire, which killed six cats, broke out at about 3 a.m. in the 13300 block of El Prado Avenue in Garden Grove. Details about a cause were not immediately available, but the fire appeared to start in a lower-level unit.
Marco Hernandez and his wife, awakened by their smoke alarm, tried to get out of their second-floor apartment through the hallway, but turned back when they encountered thick smoke.
"We tried not to panic, and that's when I decided to let her out through the window," Hernandez said. "It's kind of scary. It's a long ways down. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to hold her. Thankfully, we're fine."
With help from residents on the ground, Hernandez held his wife's arm and lowered her to safety. Then it was his turn.