Three children died in an overnight fire in Rockford in a house where the Rockford Fire Department had installed alarms earlier this year.
Fire was raging through much of the two-story home in the 2600 block of West Mulberry Street when the first fire company arrived about 3:40 a.m. Saturday. More than 30 firefighters and a total of six fire apparatus and four ambulances were called to deal with the blaze.
Attempts to reach three children – all under age 18 – who were trapped upstairs were thwarted by the flames. They were found dead, along with the family dog, after the fire was controlled.
The mother, three other children and a male relative escaped after being awakened by a smoke alarm installed following a small fire at the residence in the fall. The children were being treated at a local hospital for smoke inhalation.
The fire apparently started near the kitchen and dining areas of the home; the cause is under investigation, according to fire officials.