Thirteen people, including seven children, have died in a house fire in Philadelphia.

Fire officials say they were called to a house converted into two apartments in the Fairmont neighbourhood at 6.40am local time on Wednesday.

Two people were also taken to hospital and the fire was brought under control after less than an hour.

There were four smoke detectors but none were working, officials said.

TV pictures showed ladders up against the smoke-blackened front of the house and holes in the roof where firefighters had broken through.

“I knew some of those kids — I used to see them playing on the corner,” said local resident Dannie McGuire, 34, who said the children had lived there for a decade.

“Losing so many kids is just devastating. “Keep these babies in your prayers,” said Philadelphia mayor Jim Kenney.