Two children were critically hurt when a fire ripped through their Gloucester County home Saturday morning, trapping them upstairs.
Police were the first to arrive to the blaze at the house on W. Washington Street in Paulsboro, but they were beaten back by the flames and smoke as they tried to get inside. Witnesses said they heard glass breaking and then fire shooting out from the windows.
At least one adult made it out carrying an infant, but the two other kids, who are less than 10 years old, were trapped in a second-floor bedroom, Paulsboro Mayor Gary Stevenson said.
Firefighters arrived about five minutes after the initial report came in and used a ladder to climb inside and pull the kids out. The children were unconscious but were later revived and rushed to Crozier Chester Medical Center, where they were in “extremely critical” condition, the mayor said.
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People who later entered the home told NBC10 the inside was totally destroyed by the flames.
“I want to thank the firemen, I want to thank the police department, for valiantly trying to save these children, and hopefully we’re talking about ‘they were saved,’” the mayor said.
The county fire marshal’s office was investigating what sparked the blaze.
