July 8th, 2016 by WCBC Radio

The Herald Mail reports a woman and six children were rescued from a duplex fire early Friday at 49 Avalon Ave. in Hagerstown's West End, a city fire official said.

The woman and a passerby, who helped evacuate the children, were taken to Meritus Medical Center to be treated for minor smoke inhalation, Hagerstown Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven said.

Light smoke was coming from the two-story structure when firefighters arrived at about 2:30 a.m., he said.

"It increased to heavier smoke when they got upstairs," DeHaven said.

First responders pulled the woman from a second-floor bedroom and treated her outside before she was taken to Meritus. The passerby helped save the children and prevented them from re-entering the burning building, DeHaven said.

Smoke detectors activated during the fire, he said.

The children ranged in age from 7-14, according to DeHaven.