Boy, 9, saves his family members from burning apartment in SW Houston

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- A mother and her five young children are all recovering after being hurt in a southwest Houston apartment fire early Saturday morning.

Flames broke out around 12:30am at a complex on Hilcroft near Windswept. The 25-year-old mother and her five young children -- ages 9, 8, 5, 4 and 1 -- all made it out through the front door of their apartment.

Eyewitness News spoke to the children's grandmother, who told us everyone was asleep when the fire broke out. She said the 9-year-old child woke up to the smell of smoke and got everyone else up.

The 5-year-old girl has the worst injuries, according to her grandmother. She also told us she believes the fire started after the 4-year-old was caught playing with matches.

All family members were still in the hospital as of this report. The official cause of the fire still hasn't been determined. Arson is investigating.