STARRUCCA -- A family jumped from the second story of their home early Thursday morning in northern Wayne County, escaping a burning home.
The husband and wife were both taken to local hospitals. The fire broke out at a home in Starrucca, near the New York state line, just before 3 a.m.
Investigators say the four members of the Slocum family jumped from their second story window. The mother remains hospitalized in critical condition
They woke up to flames ripping through their home. The second story window was their only escape
Neighbor Carol Gardner says the Slocum family jumped and then ran to her home in Starucca for help.
"Came over and pounded on the door and had me dial 911. Their house was fully engulfed in flames. If the fire company would have been here, when he got here there was nothing they could have done."
Kireen and Wayne Slocum were injured as they jumped from their home and taken to local hospitals. Their two daughters who also jumped were not hurt.
Fire officials say they all showed remarkable courage.
"It's pretty much you've got to get out any way you have to, and going out a second story window takes a little more courage than trying to get out any other way," said Thompson Fire Department Chief Chad Williams.
Neighbors say flames ripped through the home quickly, and even rekindled hours later.
"I could feel the heat from my house. It was a very bad fire, the worst one I've ever seen and I hope I never see another one," Gardner said.
As fire crews tirelessly tried to stop what's left of the home from smoldering, neighbors say their thoughts are with the family who barely made it out.
Ginny Williams lives just down the road from the Slocums. She says her friends had just remodeled parts of their home and were rebounding from a flood earlier this year.
"It's just sad they have to start totally all over again, plus you lose all your pictures and everything," Williams said.
Now Williams and others in Starrucca say they plan to help the family sift through this debris, and rebuild in any way they can
"It's so sad when these things happen."
Wayne Slocum was released from the hospital. At last check his wife Kireen is listed in critical condition at Geisinger-Community Medical Center in Scranton.
Fire officials say they can't determine what caused the fire because of the extensive damage, but it's not considered suspicious.