Mom’s Relative Was Watching Her 2 Kids When a Fire Broke Out. All 3 of Them of Died

A woman and two young children have died after a fast-moving house fire broke out overnight in North Philadelphia, authorities said.

Around 1 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Nov. 18, flames erupted in a row home on the 3400 block of North Hope Street, according to NBC affiliate WCAU, CBS News and FOX affiliate WTXF.

Investigators said the fire began in the kitchen and quickly spread to other parts of the home, per WCAU. When firefighters arrived, they encountered heavy flames on the first floor and thick smoke pouring from second-floor windows, WTXF reported.

“Two engines, two ladders went into service,” Deputy Fire Chief Frank Hannan of the Philadelphia Fire Department told CBS News. “They went into service and did a search and rescue.”

Inside, first responders found 46-year-old Nidre Annette Ayala unresponsive on the staircase leading to the second floor. Two children — 6-year-old Kataleya Garcia and 5-year-old Sebastian Rodriguez-DeJesus — were discovered in a second-floor bedroom with severe burns, according to WCAU.

All three victims were taken to nearby hospitals, where they were pronounced dead, the outlets reported.

“This is a very, very difficult morning,” Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson told CBS News.

Fire officials said the blaze was brought under control by about 1:30 a.m. An investigation into the cause is ongoing, according to the outlet.

The Philadelphia Fire Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Family members told CBS News that the two children were siblings and were being cared for by Ayala, a relative, while their mother was at work.

A neighbor told WCAU that the children’s mother returned to the home still dressed in scrubs from her job.

“Mom was out working last night, and she actually arrived on the scene screaming and yelling, ‘Where’s my kids?’ ” the neighbor said. “So that was heartbreaking.”

In a message shared on social media, the fire department wrote, “Our hearts are with the neighbors in North Philadelphia today after a devastating overnight fire. Thank you to our brave members for your tireless work, and thank you to our partners for your support.”

Fire officials also said there were no working smoke alarms found in the home, according to multiple reports.

In response, the local fire department plans to distribute free smoke detectors to residents in the neighborhood in the coming days, CBS News reported.