BAY CITY -- A Bay City man is thanking his neighbors after a heroic rescue saved his family from their burning house.

Joe Mireles told NBC25 that the fire at his house started around 8 a.m. on Tuesday morning.

Mireles wasn't home, but his children and gilrfriend were asleep inside.

Several of Mireles' neighbors saw the smoke and started banging on the window.  They also brought ladders to help the family trapped on the second floor get out safely.

One of the neighbors who took part in the rescue says it was a natural reaction to help out his friends.