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A mother and her two children trapped inside of a home were rescued Monday evening by Pima County Sheriff’s deputies after a cigarette nearly started a fire.

The incident occurred around 5 p.m. in the 2600 block of West Vereda Azul, near West Valencia and South Mission roads.

The woman told authorities that she smokes outside and had discarded a cigarette by placing it on the door frame, according to Tracy Koslowski, a spokeswoman for the Drexel Heights Fire District.

The cigarette apparently fell and began smoldering in the door way, creating smoke, she said.

When deputies arrived, they could see smoke coming out of the front of the residence and neighbors were trying to break into the home because the family was still inside, according to Deputy Dawn Hanke, a Pima County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman. The mother could be heard yelling from within.

Security bars on the windows and doors of the home made it nearly impossible for the deputies to get in, Hanke said.

A deputy was able to rescue the woman’s 1 1/2-year-old daughter by grabbing her and squeezing her through the back sliding door, Hanke said.

Another deputy got the wrought iron off of the front door by using the winch from the patrol vehicle, which allowed the mother and her 4-year-old son to get out.

This incident is an important reminder that if windows have security bars, they should be equipped with quick-release devices, Hanke said. Additionally, everyone in the household, including children, should know how to use them.

“Thankfully, the quick actions of the Pima County Sheriff’s deputies at this scene prevented certain tragedy,” Hanke said.