Indiana house fire leaves 5 children dead, another injured

Fire tore through a house in northern Indiana, killing five children and leaving a sixth in treatment Monday for burns.

People, including children, were trapped by flames on the second floor Sunday evening, the South Bend Fire Department said.

Five children were pronounced dead. The sixth was taken to a hospital and later airlifted to one in Indianapolis.

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An adult escaped with minor injuries, and a firefighter fell through the second floor, officials said. The firefighter was treated at a hospital and released.

The children ranged in age from 17 months to 11 years, Fire Chief Carl Buchanon told reporters Monday. The 11-year-old remained hospitalized.

The fire in South Bend, a city of over 100,000 just south of the Michigan state line, was reported about 6:30 p.m. Sunday and spread rapidly, partly because of wind, Buchanon said. Crews battled the blaze for about three hours.

The adult who escaped told firefighters how many people were inside and had tried to rescue some but was forced back by heavy smoke and flames, Buchanon said.

The cause of the fire was being investigated.