Nation IN BRIEF : ILLINOIS : 8 Children at Home Alone Killed in Fire

Eight small children, left at home by themselves, died in an early morning house fire in Carbondale, Ill. One 8-year-old girl escaped the flames unharmed. The victims, all relatives from 5 months to 7 years old, were found dead inside, a fire department spokesman said. Camilla Foulks, 25, mother of three of the children, had been baby-sitting the others as well. Carbondale Police Chief Don Strom said Foulks might have been in a bar when the fire broke out. “We have several reports to that effect. We have confirmed some of those, and we’re continuing to investigate other potential witnesses that might have similar information,” Strom said.