Cedar Rapids firefighters rescued a young girl from a burning apartment Thursday. Firefighters were called to a two-story burning apartment building by neighbors who reported a child was trapped inside. Firefighters met a 47-year-old Lesia Funchess at the scene who confirmed she had gotten out of the second-floor apartment with a three-year-old — but another one-year old grandchild was still inside.
Two police officers on the scene had tried to reach the child, but were turned back by the heat and smoke. Firefighters wearing oxygen tanks were able to crawl through he flames and smoke and rescue the child. The child was taken to the hospital with what are described as “life threatening” injuries.
A police officer was taken to the hospital for possible smoke inhalation. Firefighters say the fire started in a bedroom mattress and Funchess tried unsuccessfully to put it out with a fire extinguisher before fleeing the building.