Teen rescues younger brother from Hayward house fire

HAYWARD, Calif. -- A young man jumped from a second story window to rescue his younger brother from a house fire in unincorporated Alameda County near Hayward Friday evening, according to Alameda County Fire Department officials.

At about 8:45 p.m., firefighters were called to a single-alarm fire at a home on the corner of Cherry Way and Haviland Avenue in the unincorporated community of Cherryland.

Before fire crews arrived, an 18-year-old man jumped from a second-floor window, found an aluminum ladder and used it to get back inside through the same window in order to rescue his 13-year-old brother, according to fire officials.

The younger boy was taken to the hospital and treated for smoke inhalation. No other injuries were reported.

Firefighters were able to hold the fire to the lower floor of the two-story home but smoke damaged much of the rest of the house, according to fire officials.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.