Mother, 4 children die in Van Zandt County house fire, officials say

An overnight house fire in Van Zandt County left four children and their mother dead, according to officials. 

A news release from the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal's Office said the fire broke out around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday near County Road 4127 and County Road 4128. Crews reported that three people were able to get out, but firefighters had to breach an exterior wall to reach four children who remained inside.

Three of the children, the fire marshal's office said, had already succumbed to the flames. While names were not released, the office said the children who died included an 8-year-old boy, a 5-year-old boy, and a 3-year-old girl. 

Two more victims were rushed to a Dallas-area hospital in critical condition; the office initially identified them as an adult and a 10-year-old boy. 

On Thursday morning, CBS News Texas confirmed that the boy was 9 and that he and the other victim, the children's 27-year-old mother, had both died from their injuries. 

The investigation into the fire remains ongoing. Crews from Canton, South Van Zandt, Ben Wheeler, and Wills Point tackled the blaze.