Washington  - An adult and four children were dead in an early Saturday morning fire, according to media reports in Ohio.

The blaze claimed the lives of a 40-year-old woman and four children age 5 to 12, the Columbus Dispatch reported online.

Firefighters tried to force their way in, but turned back due to heavy smoke. When they arrived at the house, two children age 12 and 15 were outside and told them their family members were inside.

Public identification of the victims and their relationships was not available.

Fire investigators were looking into the reasons for the fire. (dpa)