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Kids' rescue from burning Philly home caught on tape

Three Philadelphia children were rescued from a burning home. Police are investigating why the children were alone
Neighbors pull three children from burning home in Philadelphia 00:26

PHILADELPHIA -- Three young children who were left alone at a Philadelphia home had to be rescued by neighbors after a fire broke out, CBS Philadelphia station KYW-TV reports.

Police have issued an arrest warrant for the caretaker. The woman, whose name has not been released, is facing three counts of endangering the welfare of a child and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

The three children - ages 9, 4 and 2 - were left unattended and locked inside a home in North Philadelphia, according to police.

The fire broke out at about 7 p.m. Thursday.

The dramatic rescue was caught on a neighbor's cell phone camera. The video shows neighbors smashing windows and police trying to kick down the door. Eventually, they managed to get to the three children trapped inside, safely pulling them out of the home with smoke still billowing out of the roof.

The three children were rushed to the hospital, the 9-year-old boy with cuts to his foot and his 4-year-old brother and 2-year-old sister with smoke inhalation.

Officials said the children will make a full recovery.

As of late Thursday night, there was no official word on the exact cause of the fire.


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