NESCOPECK, Pa. - Fire tore quickly through a house in northeastern Pennsylvania early Friday, killing seven adults and three children and horrifying a volunteer firefighter who arrived to battle the blaze only to discover the victims were his own family, authorities said.The three children who died were ages 5, 6 and 7, Pennsylvania State Police said in a news release, while the seven adults ranged from the late teens to a 79-year-old man.
Autopsies were planned for this weekend.Harold Baker, a Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company firefighter, said by phone that the 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.
He said his two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle's home for summertime activities like going to a swimming pool.He said 13 dogs were also in the two-story home, but didn't say if he knew whether any survived.A preliminary investigation suggests the fire broke out on the front porch at around 2:30 a.m., Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said Friday evening."The information I have is that the fire started and progressed very quickly, making it very difficult to get out," Sanguedolce said.Three people were able to escape the blaze, he said.