House fire kills 6 children, woman in Pennsylvania

Fire swept through a house in southwestern Pennsylvania early Saturday, killing six young children and a woman and injuring another person, state police said.

Several people in the house in Waynesburg were able to escape, state Trooper Brian Burden said.

Police said the young victims were four girls ages four to 10, and two boys, both toddlers. Authorities said the woman was the mother of three of the children.

Robert Husner, who was staying in the home, said Joshua Arthur Sr., the father of three of the children, woke him and the two of them tried to rescue all six children, who were sleeping in at least three separate bedrooms.

"The flames were just too high," said Husner, 27. "I couldn't get in, there was so much smoke."

The home's gas furnace was not working so the residents were using space heaters throughout the home to keep warm, Husner said.

Authorities said it was unclear whether they contributed to the fire, which was being investigated by a state police fire marshal.

State police identified the victims as Rebecca Eddy, 26, and her children Tiffany Blake, 10, Rebecca Blake, 9, and Diamond Blake, 7; and Arthur's children, Donna Jo Arthur, 5, Joshua Arthur Jr., 3, and Christopher Arthur, 2. Arthur was listed in serious condition at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh. Husner and two other people escaped from the flames, authorities aid.

Firefighters arrived at 3:15 a.m. ET and found flames three to 4 metres high coming from the split-level house, Waynesburg Volunteer Fire Company Chief Larry Marshall said.

"Fire was shooting out all the windows and doors," Marshall said. The blaze was under control in about 30 minutes, "but it was too late," he said.

Neighbor Mike Vukmanic, 23, who lives about 90 metres away, said he called 911 after he heard "a screaming, pounding noise" and looked out to see the home's back door open and flames inside.

A few minutes later, Vukmanic said, "it was just engulfed."

Vukmanic's stepfather, Tony Simonetti, ran to the house and found a man who told him there were people inside.

"I looked. There was no way to get into the house," Simonetti said.

Waynesburg is in rural southwestern Pennsylvania about 55kilometres from Pittsburgh.