GRANITE CITY, Ill. (AP) — Three people died and four others were injured Thursday after a fire tore through a Granite City apartment complex and sent some people leaping to escape the flames, authorities said.

When crews arrived about 12:45 p.m., several people were leaping from a second-floor window to escape flames that had begun to engulf the structure, Granite City Fire Chief Rich Wilson said.

Three people were killed, Wilson said. Their names were not immediately released.

Fifteen people, including two children, escaped. Four were taken to the hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life threatening, Wilson said.

Firefighters believe 18 people were in the building at the time of the fire, Wilson said. Two men and a woman were unable to escape and died. Their names haven’t been released.

Four others were hospitalized with injuries not considered serious, he said.