'Mommy! Mommy help me': SEVEN siblings, ages 5 to 15, who died in Brooklyn fire could be heard screaming as mother was forced to jump out window to find help

• A fire tore through a home in Brooklyn, New York a little after midnight early Saturday morning
• The blaze killed seven siblings, ages 5 to 15, and critically injured their sister Tzipara, 14, and mother, Gayle Sassoon
• Over 100 firefighters as well as Hatzolah worked to fight the fire and help the Orthodox Jewish family 
• The children could be heard screaming 'Mommy, mommy help me,' as mother jumped out a window in order to get help as blaze was too strong
• The blaze began in the kitchen, when a hot plate that was left on, likely to keep food warm during the Sabbath without using the oven, caught fire
• 'This is the largest tragedy by fire that the city has had in seven years,' said New York Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro 
• It is the deadliest fire in the city since a March 2007 inferno that claimed the lives 10, including nine children, in the Bronx

By Chris Spargo For Dailymail.com

Published: 06:06 EST, 21 March 2015 | Updated: 09:18 EST, 22 March 2015

Fire tore through a Brooklyn home early Saturday, killing seven siblings and leaving their mother, Gayle Sassoon, and their sister Tzipara in critical condition.

The boys were identified as Yakob, 5, Moshe, 8, Yeshua, 10, and David, 12 while the girls were Sarah, 6, Rivkah, 11, and Elian, 15.

The father Gabi Sassoon was at a religious retreat in Manhattan when the fire ripped through his home.

The funerals will be held later today before the children's bodies are flown to Jerusalem tonight, where they will be buried.  

Scroll down for video 

A Brooklyn blaze killed seven siblings, ages 5 to 14, and critically injured their sister, 15, and mother

The blaze began in the kitchen, when a hot plate that was left on, likely to keep food warm during the Sabbath without using the oven, caught fire

The victims include four boys ages 5, 6, 7 and 11, and three girls ages 8, 12, and 15

Authorities have been unable to reach the father to tell him about the fire as he is out of the city at a conference

Hatzolah volunteers, known for their incredibly quick response time, arrived on the scene and helped treat the mother and her daughter

'This is an unbelievable tragedy,' said Mayor Bill de Blasio (above) as he visited the scene 

Fire investigators believe the blaze was caused by a hot plate that was left on to keep food warm for the Sabbath.

'This is the largest tragedy by fire that the city has had in seven years,' New York Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro said during a Saturday morning news conference. 

'It’s a tragedy for this family, it’s a tragedy for this community, it’s a tragedy for the city.' 

What's more, a neighbor said the children could be heard screaming 'Mommy, mommy help me' as the blaze took over the home. 

Firefighters received a call at 12:23am about the blaze at a single-family home in Midwood, a section of Brooklyn known for its low crime and large Orthodox Jewish population.

More than 100 firefighters responded and brought the blaze under control at around 1:30am.

Nigro said the blaze started in the kitchen, when a hot plate that was left on caught fire. 

He added that the plate was likely kept on as it is a way to keep food warm during the Jewish Sabbath without using the oven. 

During the Sabbath, most Orthodox families will not light fires.

He then added; 'There was no evidence of smoke detectors on either the first or the second floor that may have alerted this family to the fire.'

A smoke detector was found in the home's basement.  

The mother and eldest sister jumped out windows at the front of the house as soon as they saw the flames, which raced up the stairs to the second floor where the entire family was asleep, while the other children were trapped in their rooms in the rear.

The mother tried to get the children but the blaze was too fierce, and after suffering serious injuries realized her only choice was to jump out the window to find help.

'My kids are in there, get them out! Get them out,' she screamed according to neighbors who spoke with the New York Post. 

Firefighters battle blaze which killed seven siblings in Brooklyn

Over 100 firefighters as well as Hatzolah worked to fight the fire and help the Orthodox Jewish family

The fire tore through the home in Brooklyn, New York a little after midnight early Saturday morning

Firefighters walk near the scene of a fire early Saturday morning

Damage can be seen along an upper floor on the back of the house

New York's Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, center, walks inside the remains of the home

Mayor de Blasio hugs Fire Commissioner Nigro outside the scene of the fire

'Firefighters forced their way in, extinguished fire on the first floor, which had started in the kitchen, then pushed upstairs and found the children in their bedrooms,' said Nigro.

'It’s difficult to find one child in a room during a search. To find a houseful of seven children that can’t be revived, I’m sure this will take a toll on our members for quite some time.'

Neighbor Nate Weber said that he saw children being wheeled away on stretchers.

'I just turned away. I didn't even want to look,' he said. 

'I heard a woman yelling: "My kids are in there. Get them out! Get them out!"' 

Fire chief: Hot plate started fire which killed seven children

'This is the largest tragedy by fire that the city has had in seven years,' New York Fire Department Commissioner Daniel Nigro said during a Saturday morning news conference

Debris is scattered behind the house at the scene of a fire

A look at the home at 3371 Bedford Avenue in Brooklyn

Neighborhood children look on near the scene of the fire on Saturday morning

Neighbors gather outside the home on Saturday morning

Firefighters remained on the scene for hours after the blaze

Mayor de Blasio is seen inside the house fire inspecting the scene

De Blasio: Fire which killed seven is tragedy for all New Yorkers

Hatzolah also showed up on the scene, and were seen giving the woman oxygen and helping her as she lay on a stretcher.

'Two of the children weren’t breathing when they brought them out. The firefighters were running with them down the street on stretchers, said one of the Hatzolah volunteers.

'The mother was covered in soot. It’s horrible inside.'

The mother was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx, while the teenage child that was critically injured was taken to Staten Island University Hospital.

They were both suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. 

'I don’t know if she makes it through this. I don’t know how she’s going to face what happened to her family,' said a friend in reference to Gayle. 

'I pray that she has the sanity.'

Pieces of clothing can be seen hanging from the home

A Firefighter is seen inspecting the scene (left) while a visibly upset Commissioner Nigro (right) reacts to the scene

Sassoon grew up in the home, which had been in her family for decades. 

The family had recently moved back after being in Israel for years. 

This is the deadliest fire in the city since a March 2007 inferno that claimed the lives 10, including nine children, in the Bronx.

'This is an unbelievable tragedy,' said Mayor Bill de Blasio.

'It's so painful, it's so difficult . ... Every New Yorker is feeling this pain right now.' 

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