INDIANAPOLIS --
Two girls were critically injured early Monday morning in a fire at a duplex on Indianapolis' east side.
The Indianapolis Fire Department was called to 129 N. Bradley Ave. at about 3 a.m.
The 26-year-old mother of the children was outside when firefighters arrived, telling them that her two children were still in a bedroom in the burning home.
"We're right across the street," said one of several 911 callers. "She's saying, 'My babies are inside.'"
"My brother-in-law's wife was screaming, saying the babies were still in the house," said Billy King, who lives next door. "It was just too bad. There wasn't no way of us getting in."
Firefighters were able to rescue the children from the burning home.
"Firefighters made an aggressive interior search and located both of the children at 3:10 a.m.," said Indianapolis fire Capt. Rita Burris. "Firefighter Mike Hamilton located a 5-month-old in her crib, and Capt. Steve Sterrett located a 4-year-old under his bed."
The children were taken to Riley Hospital for Children in critical condition. Their mother was taken to Wishard Memorial Hospital in serious condition, suffering burns to her feet, Burris said.
"The mother told neighbors that she awoke when she thought she felt her feet burning. She thought she was dreaming," Burris said. "She evacuated the house and ran to the neighbors on the other side of the double."
The father of the children works as a long-haul trucker and was not home at the time, fire investigators said.
Neighbors were able to get out of the home, but three of their four cats were missing.
Damage to the home was estimated at $70,000.
Last week, two people were found fatally shot at a home next door to the one that burned Monday morning. Investigators said they don't have any information that indicates the two incidents are connected.
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