© WBALRep. Elijah Cummings gave a tearful statement Thursday after Katie Malone, a special assistant at his Catonsville office, lost six of her nine children in a Baltimore house fire.
Katie Malone, a special assistant at the Democrat's Catonsville office, lost six of her nine children in a fire that broke out just after 12:30 a.m. at their northeast Baltimore home on Springwood Avenue, a local NBC News affiliate reported.
Two of her surviving children, boys ages 4 and 5, are listed in critical condition, the report said. Her 8-year-old daughter, whom fire officials said helped get her two brothers and mother out of the house, was listed in good condition.
Mrs. Malone was also hospitalized but is expected to survive. Her husband was at work at the time of the fire, NBC reported.
"Last night around 12:30, one of my employees, Katie Malone, who has been with my office for 11 years, experienced a fire and sadly six of her nine children perished," Mr. Cummings said during a press conference Thursday.
"It's a very difficult time for our office," he said. "We are a small, very diverse office of 21 people and we are like a family. Most of my employees have been with me in the Baltimore offices for more than 10 years.
Mr. Cummings, who represents Maryland's 7th Congressional District, said Mrs. Malone's job primarily focuses on immigration matters.
"They are still trying to wrap their arms around this, but we have made it clear that my office is going to do every single thing in our power to embrace them in this very, very difficult time," he said.
A GoFundMe page created for the family raised $40,000 in six hours.
"I can't imagine the pain of a mother or father who has to suffer this kind of loss," said Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh, NBC reported.
Comment: So heartbreaking. Our sincere condolences to Mrs. Malone and her family.