At least six people remain missing Thursday morning after a fire broke out in a home in the Philadelphia Suburbs after two police officers were shot there.
Officers were met with “immediate gunfire” coming from the property in East Lansdowne on Wednesday afternoon after responding to a call claiming an 11-year-old girl had been shot there, according to the County District Attorney. Delaware, Jack Stollsteimer. They are now reported to be in stable condition.
“Our fear is that there may be several people inside that house who have died,” Stollsteimer said, noting that between six and eight people, including children, are missing. “We're hopeful that's not true.”
Starting Thursday morning, the police are still waiting to enter the burning house, Fox29 Philadelphia reports. Authorities believe someone inside set the house on fire.
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Two police officers were shot before a house fire in East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday afternoon. (WTXF)
Intense flames were initially seen rising from the roof and top floor of the three-story home before spreading to the lower levels, largely destroying the structure.
The whereabouts of the person who shot at the officers is unclear, but Stollsteimer said “there were no threats to the community from that house.”
Firefighters work at the scene where two police officers were injured while responding to a shooting at a home in East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, on Wednesday, February 7. (AP/Matt Rourke)
The officers were attacked by a shooter who fired between 40 and 50 bullets, authorities say, while Stollsteimer added that it is unclear if an 11-year-old girl was actually shot, according to Fox29 Philadelphia.
“We are still actively investigating the scene. We don't know who was in the house. We don't know Who was the shooter? We don't know how many people were there. We don't know his status. We don't know if they're alive,” Stollsteimer said.
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The home was engulfed in flames after officers from the Lansdowne and East Lansdowne police departments were shot. (FOX 29)
The district attorney said officers contacted neighboring departments, they responded and “dragged” the two police officers out of the home following the shooting that occurred around 4 p.m. Wednesday.
One of the officers was from the Lansdowne Police Department and the other was from the East Lansdowne Police Department.
One officer was shot in the arm and the other in the leg, authorities said. Stollsteimer described both as male and veteran officers.
Authorities believe the home in East Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, was set on fire by someone inside, according to The Associated Press. (Charles Fox/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP)
Upper Darby officers saved their lives by dragging them out of danger, he added, and “we hope they are perfectly fine.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the FBI confirmed that its Philadelphia office is “ready to assist” if necessary.
At least six people remain missing Thursday morning following a house fire in East Lansdowne. (FOX 29)
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“The FBI in Philadelphia is aware of the situation and stands ready to assist,” a spokesperson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
