'Hero' officer catches 3 children jumping during apartment fire rescue

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Three children were saved from a burning apartment building when they jumped from the second floor and into the arms of a police officer.

Officer Tim Bowen did not see the faces on the children aged seven, eight and nine, he just heard their screams around 8 a.m. Monday, according to KSAT.

"I was just hoping they would come to me," Bowen told KSAT. "They didn't want to at first but I talked to them and talked to them and finally they started coming. "

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A fourth child, a 4-year-old boy was too panicked to jump. However, San Antonio firefighters arrived and rescued him from the apartment.

About an hour later the children reunited with Bowen.

"Everything else is material," mother Jakim Cunningham told KSAT. "As long as we're living, I'm blessed for that. But it was a horrible experience.

The family survived a fire at its previous residence about a year ago, according to KSAT.

The fire is believed to have started in a hallway outside. It destroyed four other units. Arson investigators are looking into the cause.

Cox Media Group