Death toll rises to 6 in central Pa. house fire

LANCASTER, Pa. (AP) - A mother and her daughter died of injuries suffered in a central Pennsylvania house fire, bringing the toll in the Fourth of July blaze to six, authorities said Friday.

Crystal Kuhns died at 7:30 a.m. Friday and her daughter Mickey died at 6 p.m. Thursday, a spokesman for Crozer Chester Medical Center said. Two-year-old Kordell Kuhns remained in critical condition at the hospital outside Philadelphia, spokesman Grant Gegwich said.

The fire started in the kitchen of a three-story Lancaster duplex at about 3 a.m. Thursday after frozen potatoes were left in the oven, fire officials said. Authorities said two men and two other children also died.

Fourteen members of several families lived in the home, which did not have smoke detectors, Fire Chief Timothy Gregg said.

One victim, 65-year-old Jimmie Moore, was described by neighbors and relatives as a generous man and Vietnam War veteran who let another family move in after they lost their own housing.

The others victims were David Kuhns, 51; and his two sons, Skylar, 8, and Shawn, 6, The (Lancaster) Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era reported.

Another person was admitted in serious condition, a nursing supervisor at Lancaster General Hospital said. Several others were treated and released.

Lancaster County coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni said autopsies on the first four victims were scheduled for Friday.