5 people, including 2 children, killed in New York house fire

Five people, including two children, were killed in a house fire in Spring Valley, New York early Saturday morning, authorities said. 

“We have a tragedy on our hands,” said Rockland County Executive Ed Day at a press conference providing details on the fire.

At 4:03 a.m. multiple 911 calls reported a fire at a two-dwelling residence at 118 Lake Street. Fire and police arrived at the wooden structure to find the home engulfed in flames and reports of numerous people trapped inside, said Rockland County Fire Coordinator Christopher Kear. 

“Numerous attempts and multiple efforts were made to get into the building, but the conditions weren’t good and it was impossible,” said Kear.

The fire was under control by 4:40 a.m., authorities said, but they were not able to rescue the people inside.  The victims’ bodies were found on different floors of the dwelling; three victims were found on the second floor, and two were found on the first level. 

“We believe the victims were found on the first floor due to a collapse from the second level,” said Kear. The structure of the house was destroyed by the blaze.

Release of victim names and ages is pending until proper notification of the families, authorities said. 

A firefighter was injured and was treated at the scene. Five other people were injured during the fire and taken to local hospitals, authorities said.  

One person, a male, jumped out of the second-floor rear window, said Kear.

The current condition of the five injured people is unknown, authorities said, and it was not said which hospitals they were brought to. It is unclear how many people were currently residing in the house at the time of the fire, authorities said. 

In 2021, the home had a violation was for missing smoke detectors, but that violation was subsequently cleared, said Day. 

Police are investigating the causes and origins of the fire. 

“The investigation is in its infancy,” said Spring Valley Police Chief Rick Oleszczuk.