Father rescues child from fire

COEUR d'ALENE - A father broke out a window of his burning home early Sunday to rescue his 4-year-old daughter.

"He saved a life," said Glenn Lauper, spokesman for the Coeur d'Alene Fire Department. "He risked his life to save his child's life."

A mother, father and child lived in the doublewide mobile in the 2900 block of N. Francis Street. Lauper said the father was called and asked to pick up someone in downtown Coeur d'Alene. While he was gone, the fire started in a rear bedroom.

The mom called the dad about 1 a.m.

"There was a fire, she could not get to the baby," Lauper said.

The dad rushed home and smashed an outside window with the help of neighbors, according to a press release. He entered the smoke-filled bedroom in the back section of the home, grabbed the child and escaped back out the window. Police arrived about the same time.

The toddler was examined at the scene by paramedics and was returned to her family. The mom and dad were treated on scene and transported to Kootenai Medical Center. The father was treated for injuries he received during the daring rescue, the release said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Northern Lakes, Kootenai and Coeur d'Alene fire departments responded with four engines, two ambulances and a ladder and 25 firefighters to the scene. Fire damage to the structure was contained to the rear bedrooms while the entire structure was damaged by heat and smoke. The home was considered a total loss.

Firefighters cleared the scene around 4 a.m.