NIGHTMARE

Firefighter’s Three Kids Among Five Dead in Pennsylvania Day-Care Fire

Officials say dad was out responding to what turned out to be a false alarm while his two daughters and son were trapped inside site for families on night shifts.

A fire in a residential house used as an overnight daycare facility in Erie, Pennsylvania, has killed five children, including three children of one of the city’s volunteer firefighters. CNN reports the fire broke out in the living area of the home as the children slept upstairs early Sunday morning. Flames had engulfed the house by the time firefighters arrived. The children who died ranged in age from eight months to 7 years old. The AP reports Luther Jones’ two daughters and a son were trapped inside the residence while he was out on a call that turned out to be a false alarm. Two teenagers suffered minor injuries from jumping from a second-floor window and the day-care center owner and a neighbor both were burned trying to rescue the children. An investigation into the cause of the fire and whether there were smoke detectors and other safety features is underway.