EVENSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A house fire killed nine members of a family, including six children, in eastern Tennessee early Saturday, officials said.

The fire occurred about 6:15 a.m. and may have started on the second floor, where the victims were sleeping, said Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal.

Funeral director Randy Garrison identified the dead as Reba Ann Alexander, 42; Krystal Alexander, 25; Misty Marie Alexander, 23; John David Smith II, 17; Jennier Marie Edwards, 10; Lexie Weaks, 5; Angel Dawn Weaks, 2; Jaden Rhea Sullivan, 1; and Clarissa Sanchise, 1.

The victims were members of an extended family, Garrison said.

A 19-year-old man escaped unharmed from the first floor of the two-story house, officials said. He was the only person in the house not sleeping on the second floor.

Some of the family members were staying at the house temporarily as they prepared to move, the sheriff said. “That’s why there were that many people there,” he said.

Authorities were still investigating the fire but did not suspect foul play, Neal said. A neighbor who noticed the second floor on fire called 911.

The rural community of Evensville is 38 miles north of Chattanooga.

AP-ES-03-11-06 1943ESTEVENSVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – A house fire killed nine members of a family, including six children, in eastern Tennessee early Saturday, officials said.

The fire may have started on the second floor of the two-story house, where the victims were sleeping, said Rhea County Sheriff Mike Neal.

Joseph Alexander, a 19-year-old member of the family who was the only one asleep on the first floor, jumped out a window and escaped unharmed, officials said.

“I woke up, seen smoke,” Alexander told Chattanooga’s WTVC-TV. “I thought it was a dream. I heard my cousin yell, got up, tried to go upstairs – couldn’t.

“After that I just started breathing in all kinds of smoke. I jumped out the window because the doors were on fire.”

Next-door neighbor Jack Green said he called 911 after seeing the entire second floor on fire.

He said he tried to extinguish the fire with his garden hose.

“The whole house was engulfed,” Green said. “It melted the siding on my house – the heat was so extreme.”

Funeral director Randy Garrison identified the dead as Reba Ann Alexander, 42; Krystal Alexander, 25; Misty Marie Alexander, 23; John David Smith II, 17; Jennifer Marie Edwards, 10; Lexie Weaks, 5; Angel Dawn Weaks, 2; Jaden Rhea Sullivan, 1; and Clarissa Sanchise, 1.

The victims were members of an extended family, Garrison said.

Some of the family members were staying at the house temporarily as they prepared to move, the sheriff said. “That’s why there were that many people there,” he said.

Authorities were still investigating the fire but did not suspect foul play, Neal said.

The rural community of Evensville is 38 miles north of Chattanooga.

AP-ES-03-11-06 2209EST

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