17-Year-Old Jumps Out of Window to Escape House Fire

A 17-year-old Clayton boy escaped a house fire by jumping out of a window of his single-story home Wednesday afternoon, firefighters said.

The fire in the 5500 block of Southbrook Drive caused extensive damage to the home, according to a Contra Costa County Fire Department official.

Two dogs died in the blaze.

"The thing to focus on is everybody is OK," Contra Costa Fire Battalion Chief William Walker said. "If it happened at 2 a.m. there could have been a fatality."

The teen told firefighters he woke up and saw smoke coming from under a door. He then climbed out a window.

The fire department was called at 4:31 p.m, and the fire was extinguished by 5:06 p.m. Four engines and a truck responded to the blaze.

Walker estimated damages at $150,000.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. No one else was home at the time.