NEW ULM — Even though the front of New Ulm's Bohemian Bed and Breakfast was engulfed in flames when he and other firefighters arrived to battle a blaze, a successful attempt was made to get inside and save some of the people inside, New Ulm Fire Chief Paul Macho said during a press conference today.

The cause of Saturday's fire, which was reported at 1:44 a.m., remains under investigation, so Macho wouldn't say what firefighters suspect caused the fire or where they suspect it started. He also said he couldn't comment on what survivors have told investigators about the fire, but he did say arson is not currently suspected as a cause.

Using ladders, firefighters attempted to get through three different windows before accessing a hallway that connected three second-floor bedrooms, he said. The firefighters were able to go through two of them.

Sandra Uhing, 61, of Hartington, Neb., jumped from a second floor window. Diane Frye, 54, of Plymouth attempted to jump to the roof of a porch from the second floor, but missed and fell to the ground. Both were later airlifted to a hospital. Frye's 58-year-old husband, Charles, was able to get out of the second floor of the house with help from firfighters and a ladder, Macho said.

Another man, 53-year-old Charles Zangl of New Ulm, had fallen asleep on the main floor of the house and was able to escape through a back door.

Six people were killed in the fire, including the business' owner, 48-year-old Roberta Ann McCrea and her daughters, 3-year-old Savannah McCrea and 15-year-old Abby Wood. The others killed were Uhing's 67-year-old husband, Andrew; Joseph Bergman, 62, of Centuria, Wis.; and his 59-year-old wife, Dian.

All of the victims died as a result of carbon monoxide poising resulting from the fire except for Joseph Bergman. A Ramsey County medical examiner's report said he died as a result of  "thermal injuries to the body due to house fire," a New Ulm Police Department news release said.

Macho said he is assuming everyone inside the house had made an attempt to get out. However, it is hard to know that for sure, or even to determine where each victim died in the house, due to the damage. Floors inside the house had fallen in during the fire. Fire alarms could be heard when firefighters arrived.

"When I arrived, the front of the house was fully involved," Macho said. "There was heavy smoke coming out of the back. I would assume there was also smoke in the house."

His firefighters have dealt with fatal fires before, including one less than two years ago, Macho said. But this fire was different.

"You have six fatalities here," he said. "That's significant in a small town or in a city."

McCrea had told city officials she wasn't planning to use the main house for overnight guests, so it was not inspected by New Ulm Fire Marshal Ellwood Zabel this year. Inspections during previous years found minor problems that were quickly fixed, he said. There is know way to know if an inspection could have saved lives, Zabel said.

A carriage house on the property, which was used for overnight guests, received no damage and five people staying there were able to escape unharmed.