NEW YORK
Seven children were killed in a house fire in New York on Saturday, authorities said.
The fire in Brooklyn, which erupted shortly after midnight, ripped through the home of an Orthodox Jewish family and trapped seven siblings, New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said.
He said the victims were all between 5 and 15 years old.
"This is the largest tragedy by fire that this city has had in seven years," Nigro said. "It's a tragedy for this family, it's a tragedy for this community, it's a tragedy for the city."
He said a 45-year-old woman and a teenager, 24, survived after jumping from the first floor. Both survivors remain in critical condition.
The woman is believed to be the mother of all eight children.
Local media said the fire was sparked by a malfunctioning hot plate used to warm food on the Sabbath, the Biblical seventh day of the week from sundown on Friday till sundown on Saturday.
The raging flames trapped the family when the fire reached the stairs, blocking their escape, according to reports.
