The bodies of two children who were unaccounted for during a house fire in Putnam early Tuesday morning have been found, according to police.
Officials said on Tuesday morning that the children were feared dead when fire spread through a multifamily Victorian-style house on Prospect Street. Their bodied were found inside the house.
The fire started just before 1 a.m., as five families were asleep inside. Officials believe it started on the third floor.
Four people were taken to Day Kimball Hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation, including the parents of the missing children.
When firefighters arrived, flames were shooting through the roof of the three-story building.
Officials said the assistant chief made his best effort to get to the third floor, but firefighters could proceed no further because of the heavy smoke.
"We did have a problem throughout the night. We had to tally our loses and prevent our people from getting too far into the building, so we maintained them at a certain level and that caused the building to burn a little bit," Normand Perron said.
The state fire marshal has been called to the scene to investigate.
WINY Radio, based in Putnam, has worked with Putnam Bank to set up a fund to assist the families affected by the fire.
You can drop off donations for the Prospect Street Fire Fund at any office of Putnam Bank or at WINY, 45 Pomfret Street in Putnam.
Make checks payable to Prospect Street Fire Fund, c/o Putnam Bank.
Photo Credit: Steve Miller, NBC Connecticut