Two more children have died from injuries sustained from Thursday morning's house fire in Watertown, bringing the total number of victims to five. 

According to the Watertown Fire Department, units were dispatched to a reported structure fire at 906 Myrtle Avenue around 1:32 a.m. Thursday.

Crews found smoke and flames coming from several windows of the building and a report of several victims inside.

“Engine Two deployed an attack line, tried to get a knock on the fire. The truck company laddered the front of the building and made entry through the second floor window," said Watertown Fire Chief Dale Herman. "Engine Three laddered near the rear of the structure and made entry into the second floor rear windows. And so, again, tried to move as quickly as we could to find the victims to provide the best chance of survivability."

Alice Fisher who lives nearby the house said she woke up to the sirens.

"We saw the flames pouring out of the house," she said. "I saw the ambulances last night but I didn't see any, you know, bodies being taken out. And I just feel terribly for the family." 

Firefighters got five victims out of the home, who were then transported to Samaritan Medical Center.

The department said a father and his two children — 38-year-old Aaron J. Bodah, 8-year-old Alexa L. Bodah and 4-year-old Skylar M. Bodah — died in the fire.

Three others — two teenagers and a child — were transported to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse for treatment.

Watertown Police said Friday morning that 14-year-old Merissa A. Bodah and 6-year-old Erin Bodah had also died.

13-year-old Hailey M. Bodah was last listed in good condition. 

A family member told Spectrum News that Skylar Bodah's 5th birthday was Friday. 

"The youngest one was turning five tomorrow," said Christine Crandall, the victim's cousin. "It was her birthday tomorrow."

There was another man who lived in the home, who Crandall said was Aaron Bodah's brother, but was at work at the time.

 

 

Fire officials said later Thursday that the fire started in the first-floor kitchen. Investigators found several cooking pans on the electric stove top and believe that there was some type of cooking either prior to or at the time of the fire. 

Watertown's Fire Chief said that there were no working smoke detectors inside the home.