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Youngstown Home Demolished After Fire Claims Lives Of 5 Children

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YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (AP) -- Crews are demolishing a house in Ohio where five children died in a fire in December.

The father of four of the children joined community members in Youngstown for a prayer Monday morning before the crews began taking down the house.

youngstown memorial
(Photo Credit: Scott Danka/KDKA)

The fire has been ruled accidental and the cause is undetermined. But fire officials said in February that they suspect the careless use of a lighter or matches started the fire.

A Youngstown fire investigator said the children's mother was smoking while lying on a mattress on the living room floor watching television.

The mother escaped by jumping from a second-floor window.

The bodies of three children, ages 9, 3 and 2, were found on the second-floor. The bodies of 1-year-old twins were found on the first floor.

(© Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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