Five young children were killed in a fast-moving fire that swept through a rowhouse yesterday morning, and fire officials said security bars in the home's windows slowed the attempted rescue.

Two adults escaped but were seriously injured in the blaze. The man and woman jumped from a second-floor window, and the man landed in a wading pool on the sidewalk, officials said.

Officials would not release the names or ages of the victims, but neighbors said the boy and four girls ranged in age from 6 months to 6 years old. Three were siblings and the other two were their cousins, neighbors said. The adults who escaped were believed to be the parents of the three siblings who died, police said.

Raleigh, N.C.

Hospital error affected thousands of patients

About 3,800 patients at two hospitals run by Duke University Health System were operated on last year with instruments that were washed in hydraulic fluid instead of detergent, hospital regulators said.

Duke Health Raleigh and Durham Regional hospitals put patients in "immediate jeopardy" in November and December by not detecting the problem, despite complaints from medical staff about slick tools, according to a report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The mix-up apparently occurred when an elevator company drained hydraulic fluid into empty detergent barrels last summer. The detergent supplier later picked up the barrels and mistakenly redistributed them as washing fluid.

Dozens of patients who were exposed to the surgical instruments have reported lingering health concerns ranging from fatigue and joint pain to problems requiring hospitalization, The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported yesterday. At least 50 have taken their concerns to lawyers, though no lawsuits have been filed against Duke or the hospitals.

Boston

Joan Kennedy agrees to trustees, guardian

Joan Kennedy, 68, has reached a settlement with her children that calls for two trustees to manage her estate, while a guardian supervises her personal affairs, a source close to the case said yesterday.

The settlement also calls for the former wife of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy to enter a program to treat her alcoholism, the source said on condition of anonymity.

Kennedy's three children, including U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., had been scheduled to appear in court today to ask a judge to appoint a permanent legal guardian to manage their mother's finances and to make decisions about her health.

Joan Kennedy's attorney declined to comment.

Also

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake centered 20 miles south of Palm Springs shook most of Southern California yesterday; there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Compiled from The Associated Press