St. Paul house fire: Adult, 6 children in critical condition

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Seven people were inside a home when it started on fire early Wednesday morning, according to the St. Paul Fire Department. 

The SPFD says the fire started around 1:31 a.m. in a home on the 1200 block of Arkwright Street North. The six children and one adult were inside the home when the fire started. Officials say when firefighters entered the home, they found all seven people unconscious. The seven were all taken to Regions Hospital where they are currently in critical condition. 

SPFD believes the fire was accidental.

Family devastated after fire destroys home

Pacheng Vang struggled to articulate his grief after his home on Arkwright, where he has lived with his family for the past year and a half, became uninhabitable due to a fire. His wife and six young children are currently in three different hospitals, receiving treatment for smoke inhalation.

"I’m all over the place, I can’t really explain the feelings," Vang said, visibly distressed.

The St. Paul Fire Department received a 911 call from the home at 1:30 a.m., but the caller was unable to provide detailed information. The first crew arrived within four minutes, followed by three more crews a minute later.

The fire chief commended the firefighters for their heroic efforts, particularly one firefighter who was instrumental in rescuing three of the seven family members. "This individual went in, quickly found one child, pulled the child out, went back in, found another child, pulled that child out, and went back in for a third time, found another child, and pulled that child out," the chief recounted.

The three boys and three girls, aged between one and six, received immediate CPR from the crews on the sidewalk.

Vang, who was at work when the fire broke out, expressed his profound gratitude to the first responders. "I’m very grateful for your guys' help, and without you guys, I wouldn’t see my family… they’re still breathing right now."