Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Authorities are trying to figure out how a massive house fire started in New York City Monday that killed a mother and three children, officials said.

The flames tore through a house in Brooklyn's Sheepshead Bay neighborhood early Monday morning, fire officials said.


Officials said a 40-year-old woman in the home died, as did two of her sons, 11 and 7, and a 3-year-old daughter, 3. The father, his teenage son and a cousin were critically injured, but survived. Eight others, including two boys and six firefighters, were hurt.

Three of the injured firefighters were hurt seriously -- with smoke inhalation and a broken pelvis, the New York Daily News reported.

Fire Department of New York Commissioner Daniel Nigro said the parents lived in the home with their six children, and the cousin was staying overnight.

Officials said the fire started on the second floor and attic of the house and spread quickly. It took two hours to bring it under control, WNBC-TV, reported.

Investigators are trying to determine what sparked the blaze, but they said it does not appear suspicious.