Eight children die in New York fire

Eight children died and six other people were seriously hurt in a New York fire, city firefighters said.

It was not known early today if any of the surviving victims were children, said fire department spokesman Seth Andrews.

The fire was in a three-storey building in the city’s Bronx borough and was reported shortly after 11pm yesterday local time (4am today Irish time). It burned in the basement and ground floor, Andrews said.

Five children and one adult were taken to Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Centre, said hospital spokeswoman Jill Brookner. She said two were to be taken to a burns unit for further treatment.

Firefighters took two hours to control the blaze.