4 children die in Philadelphia fire: 'This is a tragic, tragic day'

(Photo: CNN)

(CNN) -- Four children died and dozens of residents were displaced when a fire swept through eight row houses in Philadelphia early Saturday morning, authorities said.

"This is a tragic, tragic day for the city of Philadelphia. Tragic. We lost four children today. And I want everybody to understand that fire is everyone's fight. Not just the fire department. It's everyone's fight," Fire Commissioner Derrick Sawyer said.

The four children were found dead in the same home where the fire started, according to Sawyer.

People tried to rescue the children, who were trapped during the fire, CNN affiliate WPVI reported.

The victims were a 1-month-old baby boy, 4-year-old twin girls and a 4-year-old boy, according to WPVI. Two 11-year-old girls suffered smoke inhalation, the report said.

Sawyer told CNN that the victims have not been identified and that he does not know their ages.

At least 10 people were at the home at the time of the fire, and not all of them were residents, according to Sawyer. A family member was babysitting the children.



Sawyer said that five people from the same home were transported to the hospital, at least two of them minors under the age of 13.

The three-alarm fire was reported at 2:46 a.m. in the southwest part of the city, the fire department said.

Heavy fire in three homes spread to five more homes via wooden porch roofs, Sawyer said.

At least 42 people were displaced, Sawyer said. Another local news report said a shelter had been set up for people at a nearby high school.

The blaze is now under control.

Authorities believe the fire started on the porch in a couch, according to their preliminary investigation.




CNN's Joshua Berlinger contributed to this report.




™ & © 2014 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.