House fire in Memphis kills 5 children, 4 adults

MEMPHIS — Nine people — five children and four adults — died early Monday in Memphis’ deadliest house fire in decades, and one other child was in critical condition, authorities said.

Firefighters initially observed light smoke outside the single-story wood-and-brick home in south Memphis when they arrived about 1:20 a.m. but then confronted heavy smoke after they entered, Fire Services Director Gina Sweat said.

Fire crews found four adults and three children dead in the home, Sweat said.

[...] seven people died in a fire here in 2008, fire department spokesman Wayne Cooke said.

Sweat said window bars present a danger for people trying to escape a house fire, though many bars have releases so they can be opened from the inside.