OKLAHOMA CITY — Firefighters discovered the bodies of a woman and four children on Wednesday after a predawn blaze ripped through a house on the city's northwest side, fire officials said.
The children, who range in age from 2 to 8 years old, and the woman were found inside the house after firefighters arrived at the two-story, wood-frame home shortly after 6:30 a.m., Fire Department Maj. Tammy McKinney said. A man also is in critical condition at a local hospital, she said.
"When we got on scene, we had reports that there were children inside," McKinney said. "The fire was so intense that we could not make entry and had to knock the fire down before we could make entry. That's when we found the bodies."
The cause of the blaze was not immediately known. McKinney said the home did not have working smoke detectors.
"The Oklahoma City Police Department's homicide unit, along with our investigators, will work together to investigate the fire cause or anything that might be suspicious about it," McKinney said. "There was a lot of fire involvement, and that always makes it harder to pinpoint the fire cause."
McKinney said it is standard procedure for police to assist in any fire investigation that includes fatalities.
She said the interior of the home about a mile east of Lake Hefner in northwest Oklahoma City appears completely gutted by the fire.
Three dogs also were found dead inside the home, McKinney said.
Raw: Train Derails After Overpass Collapse
Raw: Rescues From San Antonio Flooding
Raw: French Soldier Stabbed in Throat Near Paris
Mayor: Person Killed in San Antonio Flooding
Raw: Apple 1 Computer Sells for More Than $650k
Hagel Urges Cadets to End Scourge of Sex Assault
Raw: Gay Rights Activists March in Ukraine
Bus Fire Kills 16 Children, Teacher in Pakistan
Raw: Pakistan Election Results Protested
Raw: Trucker Bumps I-5 Bridge Before Collapse
Raw: Texas Deputy Shot by Colo. Suspect Honored
Major Detours Following Wash. Bridge Collapse
American Held in Grisly Czech Murders
Raw: Jersey Shore Reopens for Summer
UK-bound Pakistan Plane Diverted, 2 Men Arrested
Massive Flooding in San Antonio Area; Rescue Efforts Underway
Hope For The Boy Who Can't Smile
Young protestor goes viral on Youtube
High Wire Spectacle Thrills Crowd in Austria
Toronto Mayor says he's not a crack head
Maine island offers lighthouse getaway
Suspect in Killing of Officer Found Dead in Cell
Should We Prepare for Quakes?
Lynn Kindergarten Class Rescues Ducklings
Congressional gold medal awarded to civil rights heroes
Charles Ramsey visits Kentucky
Unique Display Greets Guests At Revel Casino
Cape Cod Train Service Worries Residents
BASE jumper rides snowmobile off cliff to honor dead friend
Bridge Collapse Survivor: 'Rough Day'
SHOCKING: School Guard Throws Girl Down Stairs
Star Wars X-Wing Star Fighter Made of Legos
Actress Amanda Bynes Arrested in New York
Singer Psy Has An Imposter
