SAFD: 'Hero' officer catches 3 young children who jumped from burning second-story apartment

San Antonio Police Department Officer Tim Bowen caught three children between the ages of four and 12 who jumped from a burning second-story apartment window on July 18, 2016 in the 9500 block of Lorene Lane. The fourth child, who was too frightened to jump, was rescued by firefighters. less San Antonio Police Department Officer Tim Bowen caught three children between the ages of four and 12 who jumped from a burning second-story apartment window on July 18, 2016 in the 9500 block of Lorene Lane. ... more Photo: San Antonio Fire Department Photo: San Antonio Fire Department Image 1 of / 23 Caption Close SAFD: 'Hero' officer catches 3 young children who jumped from burning second-story apartment 1 / 23 Back to Gallery

SAN ANTONIO — Four children between the ages of four and 12 escaped a fire at a North Side apartment complex on Monday morning that sparked under "very suspicious" circumstances, officials said.

SAFD spokesman Woody Woodward said firefighters received reports of the blaze around 8:15 a.m. and more than a dozen units were dispatched to the 9500 block of Lorene Lane.

When crews arrived they found flames filling the stairway of an apartment building just north of Loop 410 and west of San Pedro Avenue and beginning to spread into neighboring apartments.

Woodward said four children were inside one of the apartments when the fire began.

San Antonio Police Department officer Tim Bowen was the first to arrive at the scene.

Woodward said Bowen told the children to jump from the window of the second floor of the building into his arms to escape.

Three of the children did, but the fourth was too frightened.

SAFD crews arrived moments later and got the young boy out uninjured.

Woodward said no major injuries were reported, but a dog inside one of the apartments died. The SAFD called Bowen a "hero" in a tweet after the incident.

Woodward said the fire is "very suspicious" and that arson investigators are en route to determine the fire's cause.

mdwilson@express-news.net

Twitter: @MDWilsonSA