MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nine people — five children and four adults — died early Monday in Memphis’ deadliest house fire in decades, and one other child is fighting for life at a hospital, authorities said.
Firefighters initially spotted light smoke outside the single-story wood-and-brick home in south Memphis when they arrived about 1:20 a.m. but quickly encountered heavy smoke inside after they entered, Memphis FireServices Director Gina Sweat said.
Fire crews found four adults and three children dead in the home, Sweat said at a news conference. Two other children died after being taken in extremely critical condition to a children’s hospital, she said.
One other child remains hospitalized, said Sweat, who called it the deadliest fire in Memphis since the 1920s. More recently, seven people died in a fire here in 2008, fire department spokesman Wayne Cooke said.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland asked for prayers for family members of the dead, who weren’t immediately identified. Some of the victims had signs of smoke inhalation, while others had burns, according to authorities.
“It’s a very sad day,” Strickland said. “We are all in mourning.”
