Authorities say a deadly fire in New York City may have been caused by a malfunctioning hot plate left on for the Sabbath, according to The Associated Press.

The fire killed seven children from an Orthodox Jewish family. Their Brooklyn home is reported to have had the broken hot plate that caused the fire.

One teenage girl survived the fire along with the mother of the seven dead children. The woman and teenager are in critical condition after jumping from the second-floor window, according to Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro.

The mother and teenage girl suffered from burns and smoke inhalation.

"It's a tragedy for this family, it's a tragedy for this community, it's a tragedy for the city," Nigro said calling the incident the worst tragedy by fire in the city recent memory.

Fire investigators believe the hot plate caused the fire on a kitchen counter and the flames traveled to the second floor while the children were asleep.

The fire fighters who responded to the call found the seven children in their bedrooms, but they could not be revived.

The hot plate is often used by Orthodox Jews to heat food on the Sabbath since they are not allowed to use electricity on that day for religious practices.

"There was no evidence of smoke detectors on either the first or the second floor that may have alerted this family to the fire," Nigro said.

Neighbors said they heard the children screaming for help as firefighters battled the blaze, New York Daily News reports.

Four boys ages 5, 6, 7 and 11 died along with three girls ages 8, 12 and 15.

"I heard the mother yelling, 'My kids are in there! My kids are in there! Get them out! Get them out!'" said neighbor Nate Weber.

The 45-year-old mom was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and placed in a hyperbaric chamber.

Her only child that survived is 14 years old.