By Brock Parker
The York Dispatch

YORK, Pa. — York City Police are investigating why three young children were left unattended in a row home that caught fire Monday night.

The children, all under the age of 8, were not injured in the fire, which broke out at 339 S. Duke St. about 7:35 p.m., officials said.

But firefighters did not locate the children in the first floor of 339 S. Duke St. until a secondary sweep was conducted and efforts to fight the fire on the upper two floors of the apartment building were well under way, said York City Fire Lt. David Michaels.

Michaels said when firefighters arrived at the fire, they received reports that there was nobody left inside the apartment building, and they began dousing the flames, which burned through a front corner of the roof.

During a secondary sweep of the building, firefighters found the three children downstairs, Michaels said. The children were not in any immediate danger but were taken to York Hospital as a precaution, Michaels said.

"It was just mind-boggling," said Deputy Fire Chief Steve Buffington, who was on the scene.

After a firefighter found the children and broadcast a radio message, other firefighters rushed to that area of the building to get the kids, Buffington said.

The cause of the blaze is undetermined, but it does not appear to be a fire that was set, he said.

The building sustained about $10,000 in damage, and about $5,000 in belongings were damaged or destroyed, Buffington said. The home at 341 S. Duke St. was not damaged by fire, but the front door was damaged when firefighters forced it open to check for fire extension, the deputy chief said.

Just moved in
Zailyne Ruiz, 19, said she had just moved into the second- and third-floor apartment at 339 S. Duke St. Sunday with her 69-year-old grandmother and her 1-year-old daughter. Ruiz said she hadn't even unpacked many of her belongings at her new apartment when a police officer banged on her door Monday night and told her the building was on fire and she needed to get out.

"I was in the kitchen," Ruiz said. "I didn't even notice."

Ruiz said she and her family hurried out of their apartment.

The York County chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting Ruiz, her baby and her grandmother, according to spokeswoman Victoria Connor.

"They have a place to stay, but we're providing them with funds for food and clothing, as well as comfort kits," she said. Comfort kits include toiletries and other essentials. Ruiz's baby was given a helping-hugs bear as well, Connor said.

So far, the Red Cross has not been asked to help anyone from the first floor, she said.

Searching for parents: Buffington said it appears the three children did live there, but he had no information Tuesday morning on how many adults lived in the home.

Michaels said firefighters are still working to locate the parents of the three children.

Police Lt. Kevin Girling said the parents or guardians of the children could potentially face criminal charges for leaving the children unattended.

Girling said police are working with York County Children and Youth Services to find a place for the children to stay.

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