[Source: BBC]

Three children and seven adults have died in a house fire in the US state of Pennsylvania, and a firefighter called to the scene was horrified to find the victims were his own family.

Pennsylvania State Police confirmed the names of six of the victims, but have yet to identify the youngest children, ages five, six and seven.

A criminal investigation has been launched into the cause of the fire.

The blaze is thought to have begun on the porch early this rmoning.

Harold Baker, a Nescopeck Volunteer Fire Company firefighter, told the Associated Press news agency that the dead were his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.

He said the three children who died – two boys and a girl – did not live in the home, and were visiting for summer activities.

Police say the bodies were recovered from the destroyed building with the help of police sniffer dogs.

Three adults managed to escape to safety, according to a police report.