Fire quickly tore through a home at dawn on Friday, killing seven adults and three children and prompting a volunteer firefighter to battle the devastating blaze only to discover that the victims were family members. his family, authorities said.
Authorities said a criminal investigation into the fire was underway. Pennsylvania State Police said the children killed in the fire were aged 5, 6 and 7 in a press release.
Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company firefighter Harold Baker told Wilkes-Barre’s Citizens’ Voice newspaper that the 10 victims included a son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and three grandchildren. two people. but different relationship.
He told WNEP-TV that 13 dogs were also in the home but did not say if he knew if any survived.
The Nescopeck fire was reported around 2:30 a.m. One person was found dead in the single-family home shortly after emergency responders arrived, while two other victims were found later in the morning.
Authorities said some people were able to safely leave the burning house.
Baker said that the address originally given to the call was a neighboring home, but he realized it was his family’s home when the fire truck approached.
“When we turned the corner here on Dewey (Street), I knew right away which house it was just by looking down the street,” Baker told The Citizens’ Voice. “I was at the first engine, and when we pulled up, the whole place was fully engaged. We tried to engage them.”
Neighbors said they heard an explosion or loud bang before seeing the front porch of the house quickly consumed by the flames. Some also said they heard a young man shouting at the door, “They’re all dead.”
Baker, who was relieved of his firefighting duties because of his relationship with the victims, said 14 people were living in the home. One of them was delivering newspapers, and three others escaped, he said.
“The kids there and my two kids were just visiting their aunt and uncle,” Baker told WNEP. “Those are the people who own the house. They were there to tour, to get in the pool and all that.”
Pennsylvania State Police Lieutenant Derek Felsman said a “complex criminal investigation” was underway. Soldiers are interviewing survivors, he said.
