Massive Pennsylvania House Fire Kills 10 Family Members, 13 Dogs

Screenshot via Eyewitness News

Ten people were found dead in a Pennsylvania home after it burst into flames early Friday morning, sending investigators into a frenzy as they work on what’s been called a “complex criminal investigation.”

Three children, aged 4, 5, and 6, were all killed in the fire, along with seven adults, Pennsylvania State Police said Friday evening.

Neighbors reported hearing a loud popping sound or explosion before seeing the front porch engulfed in flames around 2:30 a.m., the Associated Press reported. One neighbor also reported hearing a young man scream in front of the home, “They’re all dead.”

Pennsylvania State Police is leading the investigation into the fire, which took place in Nescopeck—a town of 1,500 about 115 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Early reports indicate that nearly an entire family may have been wiped out by the flames.

Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Co. firefighter Harold Baker told the Citizens Voice that he lost his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives in the flames.

The Citizens Voice reported the adults killed in the flames were: Dale Baker, 19; Star Baker, 22; David Daubert Sr., 79; Brian Daubert, 43; Shannon Daubert, 45; Laura Daubert, 47; and Marian Slusser, 54.

Thirteen dogs are also believed to have died in the flames, according to that report.

Baker said the house had 14 inhabitants in total, but three were able to escape and one was out delivering newspapers when the fire began.

“The kids that were there and my two kids were just visiting their aunt and uncle,” Baker told WNEP. “Those were the ones who own the house. They were there visiting and going into the pool and all that.”

Read more at The Daily Beast.