Fire at Pennsylvania Day Care Center Kills 5 Children

A morning fire in Pennsylvania killed five children and sent another person to the hospital, authorities said. The fire was reported in Erie, a northwest lake town, at about 1:15am Sunday, Chief Guy Santone of the Erie Fire Department said. The victims ranged in ages from 8 months to 7 years, Santone said. The Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership lists a day care at the fire address, the AP reports. GoErie.com reports that the center is open 24 hours, and offers parents the option to have their children picked up from and dropped off at their home. But it's not clear whether any of the victims were day care clients; detectives are working to determine whether any of them were staying at the day care at the time, Erie Police Chief Dan Spizarny told the Erie Times-News.

A woman who also lives at the residence was flown to UPMC Mercy for treatment, Chief Fire Inspector John Widomski told the newspaper, which reported that the injured woman is the owner of the day care. Santone told the newspaper that a neighbor was also injured; Erie News Now reports a neighbor had tried to enter the home to help but was pushed back by smoke. Two children said to be 17 and 12 reportedly escaped to the first-floor roof and jumped to safety. (Another Sunday morning fire was reported in Delaware.)