State police say two children are dead after a house fire in northern New York.
Police say the fire was reported at about 9:30 Monday evening in the Adirondack Mountain hamlet of Harkness in the town of AuSable, about 20 miles south of Plattsburgh. According to the Plattsburgh Press Republican 23-year-old Penny Stone was babysitting three along with her two children.
Troopers say Stone found a bedroom on fire and tried unsuccessfully to put out the flames before escaping with her 2- and 4-year-old children.
Relatives next door rescued 6-month-old Raelynn Burnham but couldn't save 7-year-old Tucker nor 4-year-old Payden Burnham because of the heat and smoke.
Police say the infant is in critical condition Tuesday at a Massachusetts hospital.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.