Two people have died and one person injured in a house fire that broke out early Sunday morning in the 100 block of Orchard View Road in Amity Township.
State Police Fire Marshal, Janssen Herb, said neighbors called in the blaze around 1am. Arriving on scene, firefighters found the house fully engulfed, and quickly struck a second alarm for additional recourses.
Several rescues were attempted by firefighters, but due to the heavy fire, they were initially unsuccessful. Both floors and the roof collapsed during the fire, causing firefighters to evacuate the house for their safety.
Authorities say three people were inside the house at the time of the fire, one who attempted a rescue of family members upstairs. Not being able to reach them, they exited the second floor window, and went back inside to attempt another rescue, but were unsuccessful.
Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene by the Coroner, one male and female. Their identities have not been released. The relative who initially attempted a rescue was transported to the hospital, and is expected to recover.
Trooper Herb also noted that the rescue and recovery efforts by firefighters were hindered by the damage of the house, taking hours to locate the victims.
Crews were still on scene Sunday mid-day. Due to the structural integrity, a demolition crew was brought in to take the house down.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
This article will be updated when additional information is available.