Newark fire officials ordered code enforcement to a home in Newark's South Ward after authorities found children living in horrid conditions inside the house overnight.
According to a preliminary investigation, firefighter received calls of a fire inside a home in the 800 block of South 19th Street around 1:10 a.m.
Upon arrival, crews were immediately able to make entry into the residence, where they confirmed that the small blaze was due to unattended cooking.
Officials say during the investigation, they found about 20 children inside the home without working smoke detectors.
Inside the home, they described as filthy, officials described seeing a rat, roach, ant, and fly infestation. Officials say rats had bored holes through parts of the floor and appeared to begin chewing on electrical wiring.
The homeowner was immediately requested to make several corrective actions.
There were no injuries reported during the fire.