At least six people remain missing Thursday morning following a fire that erupted at a home in the Philadelphia suburbs after two police officers were shot there.
The officers were met with “immediate gunfire” coming out of 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 Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer. They are now reported to be in stable condition.
“Our fear is there may be multiple people inside that home who have died,” Stollsteimer said, noting that six to eight people, including children, are unaccounted for. “We are hopeful that that is not true.”
As of Thursday morning, police are still waiting to go inside the smoldering home, Fox29 Philadelphia reports. Authorities believe the home was set on fire by someone inside.
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Two police officers were shot prior to 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 gutting the structure.
The whereabouts of the person who fired at the officers isn’t clear, 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, Feb. 7. (AP/Matt Rourke)
The officers were targeted by a shooter that fired around 40 to 50 bullets, officials say, while Stollsteimer added that it’s unclear whether an 11-year-old girl actually was 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 the shooter was. We don’t know how many people were in there. We don’t know their status. We don’t know if they’re alive,” Stollsteimer said.
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The home was consumed by flames following the shooting of officers from the Lansdowne and East Lansdowne Police Departments. (FOX 29)
The district attorney said the officers reached out to neighboring departments, and they responded and “dragged” the two police officers from the home following the shooting that happened 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, officials said. They were both described by Stollsteimer as male, 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)
Officers from Upper Darby saved their lives by dragging them out of danger, he added, and “we expect them to be perfectly fine.”
In a statement to Fox News Digital, the FBI confirmed its Philadelphia office is “ready to assist” if needed.
At least six people remain unaccounted for Thursday morning following the fire, which ravaged the home in East Lansdowne. (FOX 29)
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“FBI Philadelphia is aware of the situation and stands ready to assist,” a spokesperson said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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