The Latest: Mother, 4 children die in Massachusetts blaze

WARWICK, Mass. (AP) — WARWICK, Mass. (AP — The Latest on a house fire that killed five people in Warwick, Massachusetts. (all times local):

3:25 p.m.

Officials say a mother and four children were killed when flames swept through their home in the small Massachusetts town of Warwick.

Two other members of the family escaped the fire, which broke in the single-family home around 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

The names of the victims were not immediately released.

An emotional town fire chief Ron Gates said at an afternoon news conference that the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and there was little they could do to prevent the tragedy.

Officials said early indications were that the fire may have started in a wood stove in the kitchen.

The town of less than 800 residents has no fire hydrants and officials said firefighters had to draw water about a half mile from the scene.

___

12:30 p.m.

The Massachusetts fire marshal's office says five people are unaccounted for following a blaze at a home in the town of Warwick.

Authorities say two family members escaped after the 3-alarm fire broke out in the single-family home on Richmond Road at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

The fire marshal said in a statement that five other people were unaccounted for.

Town Coordinator David Young told The Recorder of Greenfield that a mother and four children were missing.

Young said there was little left of the home after the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and no other details were immediately released.

Warwick is a small town in Franklin County in northwestern Massachusetts.

Young said at least 16 area fire departments helped battle the early-morning blaze.

___

Noon

The Massachusetts fire marshal's office says five people are unaccounted for following a blaze at a home in the town of Warwick.

Authorities say two family members escaped after the 3-alarm fire broke out in the single-family home on Richmond Road at about 12:45 a.m. Saturday.

The fire marshal said in a statement that five other people are unaccounted for.

The cause of the fire is under investigation and no other details were immediately released.

Warwick is a small town in Franklin County in northwestern Massachusetts.