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Officials: 2 children dead, mother hurt, after overnight condo fire in Palm Bay

PALM BAY, Fla. — Two children have died after fire ripped through their home early Friday, the Palm Bay Fire Department said.

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Officials said the fire started around midnight at the Country Gardens condominiums off Sunny Brook Lane.

Investigators later spoke to Eyewitness News at the fire scene and confirmed that two children, ages 5 and 10, died from their injuries.

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PBFD said there were four family members inside the condo when the fire broke out, including a 15 year-old-boy who called 911 for help.

The agency said the mother of the three children was critically hurt in the blaze, and at last report, was being treating at a local hospital.

The 15-year-old was not hurt and now being cared for by other relatives, officials said.

On scene, Channel 9 saw visible damage to the condo unit.

Fire investigators said while the damage was mostly contained to that unit, residents from the other seven units in the building were temporarily displaced.

Inspectors will evaluate the building and address any safety concerns before any residents can return, PBFD said.

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Officials also said they are working to determine if smoke detectors inside the unit were operable at the time of the fire.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Channel 9′s Melonie Holt is gathering the latest details on this tragic fire.

Monitor WFTV.com and watch Eyewitness News at Noon for an update on this developing story.

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