Woman, 4 children killed in Monroe County, Pa. house fire

A woman and four children died in a house fire in Pennsylvania, authorities said.

The fire broke out late Thursday night in the ranch-style home on Brook Road in Polk Township. Photos from the scene showed extensive fire damage to a section of the home.

"Preliminary investigation indicates that the fire was accidental in nature with nothing suspicious being observed," state police said in a news release.

The Morning Call newspaper reported the victims were Rosemarie LaBarre, 53, and her grandchildren, who ranged in age from 2 to 7.

LaBarre had worked at East Hills Middle School, the newspaper reported. Bethlehem Area School District Superintendent Joseph Roy told the newspaper LaBarre had been a family and consumer sciences teacher since 2008.

Autopsies were pending.

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