Volunteer firefighter describes not being able to save 10 members of his family from blaze

A volunteer firefighter has spoken out on not being able to save 10 members of his family from a house fire, three of which were children.

The heartbreaking incident took place in Pennsylvania and state police say the children who died were aged five, six and seven.

Harold Baker, of Nescopeck, said the 10 victims included his son, daughter, father-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, three grandchildren and two other relatives.

WNEP

The firefighter said his two children were visiting their aunt and uncle’s home for summer.

Thirteen dogs were also in the two-storey home, Harold says, but he was unaware if they survived.

Baker said: “All I wanted to do was go in there and get to these people, my family. That’s all that I was thinking about, getting in to them.”

He also told The Citizens’ Voice: "When we turned the corner up here on Dewey [Street] I knew right away what house it was just by looking down the street.

"I was on the first engine, and when we pulled up, the whole place was fully involved. We tried to get in to them."

WNEP

A preliminary investigation suggests the fire broke out on the front porch at around 2.30am local time, Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce said.

“The information I have is that the fire started and progressed very quickly, making it very difficult to get out,” he said.

Sanguedolce says that three people were able to escape the blaze. 

Four state police fire marshals are involved in the investigation, although it will not be classified as a criminal probe unless they determine the fire was intentionally set, he said.

WNEP

The house was on a residential street of largely owner-occupied, single family homes.

Baker said the address initially given for the call was a neighbouring house. 

He realised it was his family members’ residence as the fire engine approached. 

The firefighter said his unit was the first on scene, but the house was already engulfed in flames.

“There wasn’t nothing we could’ve done to get in there. We tried, but we couldn’t get in,” said Mr Baker, 57, who has been a firefighter for 40 years.

His son, 19-year-old Dale Baker, who tragically died in the fire, had followed both of his parents into the fire service, joining when he was 16.

“He said it all his life, he was just going to be like his dad,” Baker said.

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