A house fire that killed three children in Minneapolis on Saturday may have been sparked by an oven that was left open to help heat the home, authorities said.
Two of the children were dead by the time authorities arrived at the two-story home in the 2700 block of Penn Avenue at about 10:15 p.m. The third child was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The mother of the children, who were not immediately identified, survived the fire.
The Minneapolis Fire Department has yet to determine the official cause of the fire, but officials suspect an oven that was left on and open to provide warmth may have been responsible for the blaze. The house had no central heating.
Temperatures were in the mid-40s Saturday night, according to weather reports.
"Fire doesn't discriminate," Minneapolis Fire Chief John Fruetel told the Star Tribune. "Ovens and stoves are not heating appliances...Do not use your ovens or stovetops for heating."