4 Children, 2 Adults Killed In Harlem Apartment Fire

A family of six died after a fire ripped through an their housing apartment in Harlem early Wednesday, officials said.

The fire broke out around 1.30 am in the kitchen of the fifth floor unit of a seven-story apartment building at the Frederick Samuel Houses on Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and 142nd Street, the New York Fire Department (FDNY) said.

Emergency services responded immediately. Firefighters raced to the building at about 1.40 am local time and spent about two hours battling to control the inferno.

Once the the flames were extinguished, FDNY cleared the building and discovered the six bodies, police said. Two adults, a mother who appeared to be 45, and a 33-year-old young man believed to be a relative -- along with four children -- two boys and two girls aged between 3 and 11 years -- were found at the scene and were pronounced dead. The identities of the victims are yet to be released.

FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro said, "The fire met them at the front door of the apartment. It is a particularly large apartment with three bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room, and every bit of that apartment had fire damage," reported ABC News.

The fire department tweeted after two hours that the fire was under control. The fire appeared to be an accident, but a full investigation will be held to find the cause, police said.

Abdul salam, an eyewitness to the incident, said, “As soon as I saw the flames it was literally in one apartment .. It wasn’t pretty. I heard glass breaking, kids yelling,” reported Fox News.

Geraldo Morales, 55, told the New York Post that he and his 75-year-old mother who live on the fifth floor fled the building down a fire escape. He said, “ There was so much smoke you couldn’t even see. We went to the back fire escape. The smoke -- I got asthma-- so it was like I was getting suffocated. My mother is 75- years old and the smoke just hit us.”

At least three other people suffered smoke inhalation.