Seven children from the same family have died when their New York home was engulfed in flames after a portable cooker malfunctioned.
The hot plate, a small electrical heating element, may have been left on to keep food warm because of Orthodox Jewish customs that bar cooking on the Sabbath.
"This is the largest tragedy by fire that this city has had in seven years," New York Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro said in comments reported by The New York Times.
"It's a tragedy for this family, it's a tragedy for this community, it's a tragedy for the city."
Firefighters were called to the blaze in the home in the borough of Brooklyn shortly after midnight. The victims were aged between five and 16.
A total of 105 firefighters responded to the scene.
A 45-year-old woman, the mother and another girl, 14, escaped by jumping out of windows and were being treated in area hospitals in critical condition.
"It is unimaginable what you see in there. You can literally see what was a home for a large and strong family and now it is wiped out, every room empty and burned and charred," Mayor Bill de Blasio said upon visiting the scene.
"And you can only imagine this beautiful, vibrant family 24 hours ago intact."
Neighbour Nate Weber told the New York Post: "I heard a woman yelling, 'My kids are in there. Get them out, get them out!'"
The victims were identified as 16-year-old Eliane, 12-year-old David, 11-year-old Rivkah, 10-year-old Yeshua, eight-year-old Moshe, six-year-old Sara and five-year-old Yaakob, all from the Sassoon family.
Officials said the father was not home at the time of the tragedy.
Because Orthodox Jewish customs proscribe the lighting of a fire or flame on the Sabbath, many families leave electrical burners running to keep food warm over the day of rest instead of using stoves.
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