A mother and eight children were killed when fire swept through their rural home in the US state of Kentucky overnight.
Only two members of the family – the father and an 11-year-old child – managed to escape and they were being treated for serious burns.
The fire broke out in the early hours of the morning in a wooden frame house outside the town of Greenville, Kentucky.
“When first responders arrived the residence was totally engulfed in flame,” Kentucky State Trooper Stu Recke told WDRB news.
“At the present time, it does not look to be suspicious so foul play is not suspected at all,” he said. “But so far as what actually caused the fire it’s too early to tell right now.”
Fire crews had recovered the bodies of five of the victims and were searching the charred rubble for the remaining four, he added.
The children ranged in age from four to 15, Muhlenberg County Coroner Tony Armour told CNN.
Neither the state police nor the fire department were immediately available for further comment.
