9 dead in Memphis house fire, 1 child fighting for life

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Nine people – five children and four adults – died early today in Memphis' deadliest house fire in decades, and one other child is fighting for life at a hospital, authorities said.

Firefighters initially saw light smoke outside of the single-story wood-and-brick home in south Memphis when they arrived about 1:20 a.m. but quickly encountered heavy smoke inside once they entered the building, Memphis Fire Services Director Gina Sweat said.

Fire crews found four adults and three children dead inside, Sweat said at a news conference. Two other children died after being taken to a children's hospital in extremely critical condition, she said.

One other child remains hospitalized, said Sweat, calling 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."