The remains of 10 people, including three children, were found in the rubble of a rural Pennsylvania home that was destroyed in a fire Friday, state police said.
The deceased included seven adults ranging in age from 19 to 79, two boys ages 5 and 6, and a 7-year-old girl, according to Pennsylvania State Police.
The adults were identified by state police as Dale Baker, 19; Star Baker 22; David Daubert Sr., 79; Brian Daubert, 42; Shannon Daubert, 45; Laura Daubert, 47; and Marian Slusser, 54. The names of the children were not released.
One of the victims was an off-duty firefighter who was asleep in the house at the time, the Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Department said.
Three men escaped the fire, state police said in the statement.
The blaze at the two-story residence early Friday quickly roared to a strength that repelled first responders, who tried to make rescues, authorities said Friday at the scene of the tragedy.
Asked if the investigation was criminal in nature, state police said only that detectives want to determine the origin of the fire.
First responders discovered the remains after the fire had been knocked down, authorities said.
“The residence was completely destroyed by the fire,” state police said.
The blaze was reported before 3 a.m. in Nescopeck, a borough of more than 1,600 people about 48 miles southwest of Scranton.
Jay Varela, Brittany Kubicko and Frank Salamone contributed.
