Four people were injured and several families are being housed by the Red Cross this morning after an apartment fire in Shoreline Wednesday night.

The fire broke out in a two story apartment unit at 15001 15th Avenue NE at approximately 10:30 p.m. Shoreline fire crews arrived to find a corner apartment fully involved in flames. The fire is believed to have started in the first floor living room area. Five family members who lived in the apartment had reported they were trapped upstairs, and then jumped about 12 feet from a second story window (see photo). The mother and two teenage daughters were taken to Harborview suffering from smoke inhalation and possible fractures. Two other family members were unhurt. A 14-year old neighbor was also hospitalized for breathing problems.

Neighbors called 911 after hearing smoke alarms and screams for help from the apartment.

It took fire crews from Shoreline, Edmonds, Northshore and Seattle about a half an hour to fully extinguish the fire. There were no injuries to firefighters on the scene.

The fire destroyed the apartment, and there was smoke and water damage to three other units. The Red Cross is assisting residents from those units today.

Shoreline and King County Fire investigators say the cause of the fire was a piece of furniture placed too close to a baseboard heater.