Five people rescued, including 2 children, from second floor of burning rowhome in Norristown

NORRISTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Five people were rescued from a burning rowhome in Norristown, Montgomery County on Tuesday morning.

First responders say they received a call around 4:45 a.m. that a home on Cherry Street was burning and people could be seen on the second floor.

"They were trapped in that apartment," said Dep. Chief Richard Lockhart of the Norristown Fire Department. "When you pull down the street and somebody is hanging out the window at 5:00 in the morning, you know why they're there."

The department was short-staffed, with just six firefighters who could respond, but they received help from the Norristown Police Department to make the rescue as flames chewed through the roof.

"Stuck that ladder up to the second floor and one of the guys went up, and again, our police were of great assistance with that. They would hold the ladder and assist bringing people down," said Lockhart.

Three adults and two children were pulled from the home as flames spread to the home next door.

A woman and the two children had to be treated at the hospital for injuries, but are expected to make a full recovery.