Flames broke out shortly before 11:30 a.m. Sunday on the 11th floor of the 14-story Van Dyke Houses on 383 Livonia Ave in Brownsville.
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The firefighters made it to the 11th floor within 12 minutes of the alarm, and immediately took the kids, ages four, five, and eight out of the building and immediately began CPR.
The kids were then taken to the hospital where they are currently in critical, but stable condition.
Officials say the children were left home alone and a parent has been taken into custody.
Mayor Eric Adams was on the scene of the fire Sunday afternoon.
"It was gut wrenching. It was the most terrible thing I've ever seen in my life. I saw one child after another being pulled out by the firemen and their limp bodies. I've never seen anything like that," said neighbor Audrey Ray.
Neighbors say the mother was frantically searching for her children -- authorities say she was at work at the time.
Anthony Halliburton, 37, was arrested and charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Police believe he is the father of two of the children.
Neighbors tell me this is mother - frantically, desperately, searching for her precious children. Authorities believe she was at work at the time.
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The cause of the fire is unknown.
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