COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) mdash; A fire killed a woman and her three young children early Friday in a house where six of the 10 people inside managed to escape, a fire department official said.
The youngest victim was 2 weeks old, and the others were 1, 2, and 18 years old, said Doug Smith, a battalion chief for the Columbus Division of Fire.
Their identities were not immediately released.
ldquo;They were all in one room upstairs on the second floor, rdquo; Smith said. ldquo;This is one of our nightmares here is to come on the scene and have this many people trapped. rdquo;
Authorities believe the fire was accidental and are focusing on whether it may have been electrical in nature or caused by a space heater, Smith said.
The fire was reported about 5:30 a.m. Ten people were inside when it started and six escaped on their own, Smith said.
They tried to rush back inside to try to save the victims, but firefighters stopped them, he said.
ldquo;We sent firefighters in to do the best they could, rdquo; Smith said.
Two firefighters were taken to Ohio State University Medical Center to be treated for burns that weren't serious, Smith said.
One firefighter who was burned on the back was being evaluated, a hospital spokesman said. The other who suffered facial burns was released after treatment.
Firefighters found no working smoke detector in the house, only an empty bracket for one in the kitchen, Smith said.
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