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Fleeing Flames, Man Carrying Girlfriend Jumps to Safety

LOCK HAVEN — Newswatch 16 obtained dramatic video of two people trying to escape a fire at an apartment house in Clinton County. It happened around 9 p.m....

LOCK HAVEN -- Newswatch 16 obtained dramatic video of two people trying to escape a fire at an apartment house in Clinton County.

It happened around 9 p.m. Monday in Lock Haven.

People who were there say a couple had no other choice but to jump from the flames. Now neighbors are calling the man a hero for carrying his girlfriend to safety.

A neighbor took the dramatic video. It shows the silhouette of a couple standing in front of flames on a second floor balcony. The video was shot during Monday night's fire at an apartment building on North Grove Street in Lock Haven. Neighbors call the pictures haunting.

"Flames started coming out the windows and then they, like, got stuck up top because the flames were going up the steps," said Nicole Weber.

Firefighters say the flames that destroyed two apartments may have started in a bedroom on the first floor.

"We had the fire knocked down right away, but the fire got into the partitions up to the second floor," explained Lock Haven Fire Chief Norm Wolfram.

While the family on the first floor was able to get out, a neighbor says Jerome Charles, his girlfriend, and two of their dogs were trapped upstairs.

"We went to go up the stairs and it came out through the window and engulfed the entire staircase. We told him to throw the dogs off and jump. God forbid, he did," said Randy Bowmaster.

Neighbors say Charles cradled his girlfriend in his arms. He jumped nearly 20 feet to the ground. The man was not hurt but his girlfriend was taken to a hospital.

"I thought it was pretty heroic because he acted pretty quick. I don't know if it was the adrenaline but he was pretty quick to act."

At this point, the fire chief says the couple who jumped from the balcony along with the family who lives in the apartment underneath will have to find another place to live.

"You work from paycheck to paycheck to help your family and then it goes up in flames," said fire victim David Strickland.

Strickland carried boxes of his belongings out of his home. He says his family will be staying with relatives.

"Everything is valuable until you lose it all."

The fire is still under investigation but does not appear to be suspicious.

Neighbors say the woman who jumped from the balcony is expected to be OK. Her boyfriend has only bumps and bruises.

Two gofundme.com accounts have been set up to help the victims.

Go here or here.

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