Officials: woman, 2 children dead in Florida fire

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) – Authorities in Tampa, Florida say a woman and two children died and a third child was injured in an early morning house fire.

Tampa Fire Rescue officials say the fire was reported at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday. Spokesman Jason Penny says the 61-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The children, ages 3 and 8, died at local hospitals. Another 8-year-old child was hospitalized in critical condition.

The names of the victims were not immediately released. Officials say the woman was the children’s grandmother.

Penny says a firefighter was being treated at a hospital for heat exhaustion.

An investigation has begun into the cause of the fire.

It’s unknown whether there was a working smoke detector in the house.