Two people living in a Tempe apartment are recovering in a hospital Wednesday after their apartment caught fire.
Tempe fire officials said the fire near Apache Boulevard and Dorsey Lane cut off the exit, so the man and woman were forced to go into a bathroom until firefighters got to them.
Phoenix fire dispatcher Brad Christmas got the call around 3 a.m. from the people trapped inside.
"I knew we had to act fast because they didn't have much time," said Christmas. He told them to grab every towel they could find, run into the bathroom, wet the towels and jam them under the door.
On the 911 call, both of the victims were heard coughing and telling Christmas they were having more and more trouble breathing.
Fire officials said the two were banging on the walls, so firefighters could hear them.
The apartment is a total loss, and several other units were severely damaged by water.
The two, believed to be in their 20s, were listed in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery. Two cats in the unit were also saved.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time.
