Official: Space heater, home wiring caused deadly house fire

CLEVELAND (AP) — A space heater sparked a house fire in Cleveland that killed an infant and a toddler and left three other children injured, authorities said Wednesday.

The fire started around 10 a.m. Tuesday on the home’s second floor, and investigators determined it was caused by a new space heater and the house’s electrical wiring, city fire Lt. Mike Norman said. He also noted the home had smoke detectors, but firefighters did not hear the alarms going off when they arrived.

Police said a month-old girl and an 18-month-old boy were pronounced dead at the scene, but the causes of their deaths have not been disclosed. Three other children, the oldest being 14, were treated at a hospital for undisclosed injuries.

The five children were the only people in the residence at the time, though authorities said the children’s mother arrived home shortly after the fire started. Their names have not been released.