Community Mourns 6 Children Killed in Baltimore House Fire

BALTIMORE (WJZ) --  Ten members of the same family were caught in a fire in their three story home in northeast Baltimore in the predawn hours of Thursday morning.

The bodies of all six children who were at first unaccounted for after the blaze have now been recovered from the rubble.

They include a 9-month-old boy, a 2-year-old boy, 3-year-old twin girls, a 10-year-old girl and an 11-year-old girl.

Four other family members are currently hospitalized, including the mother, Katie Malone, who is at Bayview Medical Center in critical condition. A 4-year-old boy and a 5-year-old boy are in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

The condition of an 8-year-old little girl who helped get her brothers out the house has improved, and she may soon be released.

"I can't imagine the pain of a mother or a father who has to suffer this kind of loss," said Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh. "Any loss is painful, but the loss of children pains you more deeply."

Neighbor Robert Spencer ran across the street to try to help, but the blaze blocked him from getting to the children trapped inside.

"The little kids, I heard them yell. I saw the mother come from the flames around there. I thought I was in a movie," said Spencer.

The father of the children was at work at the time of the fire, which occurred in the 4200 block of Springwood Avenue.

Fire and smoke was seen coming from all three floors of the building when crews arrived on the scene, eventually causing the roof to collapse and for each of the floors to collapse down onto the lower floor. The collapse scenario was "horrendous," according to officials on the scene.

"I just can't imagine the pain of that mother. They've got to tell her that six of her babies perished," said Valerie Myers of northeast Baltimore.

"I know they couldn't come out. They couldn't and we heard that kids was yelling. They was yelling," said neighbor Robert Spencer.

Maryland Congressmen Elijah Cummings issued a statement on the fire Thursday morning, saying that Malone is one of his staff members:

"I am asking that our entire community pray for my staff member, Katie Malone, and her young family. Katie has worked as a Special Assistant in my Catonsville office for nearly 11 years where she dutifully serves my constituents in the areas of immigration, postal services, and the military, including Service Academy nominations. I am grateful to the Baltimore City Fire Department and all those who responded quickly to the devastating fire. My staff is a family and this unimaginable tragedy is shocking and heartbreaking to us all. I again ask for your prayers."

Kelly Caubo, a service academy applicant, met Malone at the office of Elijah Cummings.

"She was so kind and helpful and something as tragic shouldn't happen to somebody that is that kind," said Caubo.

Governor Larry Hogan released a statement:

"We are heartbroken to hear of the six children lost in the tragic fire this morning in northeast Baltimore. Our thoughts and prayers are with these children, the four victims who were seriously injured, and their loved ones. Our thanks go out to the first responders who acted bravely in the wake of this tragedy."

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family HERE.

This is a developing story, and we will continue to update as more information comes into our newsroom.

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