Father, three children die in Arizona house fire

ST. DAVID, Ariz. (AP) _ Three young children died in a house fire along with their father, who had re-entered the burning home in an attempt to rescue them. <br><br>The children's mother and another

Saturday, March 24th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

ST. DAVID, Ariz. (AP) _ Three young children died in a house fire along with their father, who had re-entered the burning home in an attempt to rescue them.

The children's mother and another 2-year-old escaped the fire Friday.

``I could hear explosions. I could hear this woman yelling and screaming,'' neighbor Anthony Maurer said. ''The woman was screaming, 'My babies, my babies.'''

Fire officials said a portion of the house had collapsed by the time they arrived and that the heat and flames prevented them from entering.

The victims were identified as Eldred Deforge, 28, his 7-month-old daughter, Brittany, and sons Brian, 6, and Robert, 5.

The cause of the fire was not immediately determined.