WASHINGTON PARISH - Fire officials say two children are dead and three others were injured following a fire early Wednesday.

Franklinton firefighters responded to a call for a mobile home fire in the 4500 block of Beau Drive around 12:45 a.m. At the scene, crews rescued several occupants. Authorities say two children, a 10-year-old girl and a 6-year-old boy, were unable to be saved.

Authorities say a 6-year-old girl, a 4-year-old girl, and a 3-year-old boy were rescued and air-lifted to Baton Rouge hospitals for treatment. Two adults escaped uninjured.

Authorities said when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found two adults and three children outside of the mobile home. The family indicated there were still two children unaccounted for. Firefighters later located the bodies of the two children in separate bedrooms.

Witness statements indicate the 3-year-old boy noticed the fire and alerted a male adult. The male adult escaped through a window with the toddler. While the adult female attempted to access the other children, a neighbor pulled her from the home. In the meantime, the escaped adult male re-entered the home from the front where he pulled two of the children to safety. Attempts to reach the remaining two children were unsuccessful.

The surviving children remain in the hospital: The 4-year-old girl in critical condition; 6-year-old girl in the pediatric ICU and 3-year-old boy is in stable condition. The adult male suffered mild smoke inhalation and cuts, but did not receive medical treatment. An adult female was unharmed by the fire.

The adults and three of the children were residents of the mobile home. The two additional children in the home at the time of the fire are cousins of the resident family. The deceased 10-year-old resided in the home, while the deceased 6-year-old was visiting for the night.

At this time, investigators believe the fire began in a bedroom in the center of the structure where the 10-year-old was found. While an exact cause remains under investigation, there are no suspicious circumstances at this time.