Firefighter called to inferno where 10 relatives died
A volunteer firefighter in the US arrived to tackle a house blaze which killed seven adults and three children, only to discover the victims were his own family.
The children who died were aged five, six and seven, Pennsylvania State Police said, while the seven adults ranged from their late teens to a 79-year-old man.
Harold Baker, a volunteer firefighter in the town of Nescopeck, said the 10 victims included his son, daughter, fatherin-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.
Baker said his two children and the other young victims were visiting their aunt and uncle’s home for swimming and other summertime fun.
He said 13 dogs were also in the two-storey home, but did not say if he knew whether any survived.
“All I wanted to do was go in there and get to these people, my family. That’s all that I was thinking about, getting to them,” Baker said.
He grabbed a hose and air pack, and started pouring water on the fire, desperate to make his way inside and calling out to his son.
His chief realised whose house it was, and fellow firefighters escorted Baker back to the fire station.
The property was on a residential street of largely single family homes.
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said.
“The information I have is that the fire started and progressed very quickly.
Three people were able to escape.