4 children, 2 adults die in eastern Pa. house fire

[May 13, 2013]  POTTSVILLE, Pa. (AP) -- Four children and two adults were found dead in a house fire in eastern Pennsylvania early Monday morning and authorities were searching for the cause.

The blaze broke out around 11:55 p.m. Sunday at the single-family home in Pottsville, which sits on a steep hillside not far from the D.G. Yuengling & Son brewery. Firefighters later found the bodies inside the building, according to Schuylkill County emergency dispatch supervisor Bill Lindenmuth. The names and ages of the victims weren't released and the causes of death weren't immediately known.

The fire was declared under control shortly before 1 a.m. A Pennsylvania State Police fire marshal was at the scene Monday morning investigating the cause.

The upper two floors of the three-story home were charred and the rear of the building appeared to have sustained heavy damage, with several of the walls knocked out. Furniture and other debris sat on the front lawn.

Crews from all the city's fire companies responded to the blaze and Pottsville fire Chief Todd March said crews had to proceed carefully through the building because of the extensive amount of damage.

Pottsville is in Pennsylvania's coal country, about 90 miles northwest of Philadelphia.

Messages left with a state police investigator and the coroner's office weren't immediately returned.

[Associated Press; By MICHAEL RUBINKAM]

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