STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Officials say three adults and six children have died in an early-morning apartment fire in Mississippi.
The children were between 4 months and 6 years old. The adults were a 25-year-old woman and two 19-year-old women.
All the victims were in the same apartment.
Fire Chief Rodger Mann says investigators do not yet know what caused the blaze. He said a private company recently inspected the complex and found no problems.
An investigation is under way.
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<<CUT …176 (12/28/09)>> 00:09 "her godchildren died"
Siobhan (shih-BAHN') Reilly
Correspondent Siobhan Reilly reports at least nine people have died in a pre-dawn apartment fire in Starkville, Mississippi. (shorter version of previous cut) COURTESY: WCBI ((mandatory on-air credit))
<<CUT …177 (12/28/09)>> 00:10 "get more information"
Siobhan (shih-BAHN') Reilly
Correspondent Siobhan Reilly reports fire officials are investigating the cause of a deadly pre-dawn apartment fire that killed nine people. COURTESY: WCBI ((mandatory on-air credit))
<<CUT …178 (12/28/09)>> 00:17 "was seven months"
Siobhan (shih-BAHN') Reilly
Correspondent Siobhan Reilly reports neighbors and relatives of people caught in the fire are devastated. COURTESY: WCBI ((mandatory on-air credit))
<<CUT …179 (12/28/09)>> 00:09 "that mother died"
Siobhan (shih-BAHN') Reilly
Correspondent Siobhan Reilly reports children were among the victims of a deadly apartment fire in Starkville, Mississippi. COURTESY: WCBI ((mandatory on-air credit))
<<CUT …184 (12/28/09)>> 00:17 "door was hot"
Chassel (CHAH'-suhl) Jenkins
Chassel Jenkins, a neighbor of the nine victims killed in the pre-dawn apartment fire, Mississippi, says the neighboring apartment was already on fire when she and her fiance woke up.
<<CUT …185 (12/28/09)>> 00:07 "skin burning hot"
Chassel (CHAH'-suhl) Jenkins
Chassel Jenkins, a neighbor of the nine victims killed in the pre-dawn apartment fire, says when they tried to wake the neighbors they could tell the fire was already big.
<<CUT …186 (12/28/09)>> 00:10 "It was horrible"
Chassel (CHAH'-suhl) Jenkins
Chassel Jenkins, a neighbor of the nine victims killed in the pre-dawn apartment fire, says the couldn't rescue the people in the burning apartment.
<<CUT …187 (12/28/09)>> 00:02 "was bad wiring"
Chassel (CHAH'-suhl) Jenkins
Chassel Jenkins, a neighbor of the nine victims killed in the pre-dawn apartment fire, says officials on the scene that she talked to are focusing on a possible cause.
<<CUT …188 (12/28/09)>> 00:10 "a smoke detector"
Chassel (CHAH'-suhl) Jenkins
Chassel Jenkins, a neighbor of the nine victims killed in the pre-dawn apartment fire, says she did not hear any fire alarms go off.
