Resident Willie Nicholson, 31, told investigators he carried his 18-month-old daughter and led his 12-year-old son out a second-story window after the blaze prevented them from using the front door.
He said he lowered himself onto an awning at the back of the building and then jumped to the ground, fire officials said.
Fire officials identified the victims as his wife, Vanessa High Nicholson, 37, and her children Tiffany M. Talley, 11, and Justin H. Nicholson, 4.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries in the 2:44 a.m. blaze at Poss Homes in south Chattanooga.
Fire Captain Craig Haney said the blaze apparently started on the ground level but the cause was not immediately determined. He said an investigation was continuing. Investigators said they were not able to determine if smoke detectors in the apartment worked.
Fire Battalion Chief John Vlasis said firefighters put out the blaze quickly but were too late for any rescue.
The fire displaced two other families.
The three fatalities double to six the total number of fire deaths in Chattanooga this year. Fire Department spokesman Bruce Garner said records show the city's most recent fire with three or more fatalities was Dec. 4, 1985.
Fire Claims Three Lives in Early Morning Apartment Fire in Chattanooga, Tennessee
Bruce Garner, Public Information Director
Chattanooga Fire Department
A mother and two children perished in an early morning fire at Poss Homes today, while the father reportedly escaped with two other children. The fire occurred around 2:44 a.m. in a two-story apartment unit at 205 Poss Drive. Smoke and flames were visible on both floors as Chattanooga firefighters made their way inside. Battalion Chief John Vlasis said the firefighters got the fire out quickly, but the damage had already been done. Firefighters found three lifeless bodies in two upstairs bedrooms, including a 37-year-old woman, and her two children, ages 11 and 4. The names of the victims are being withheld until relatives have been notified.
Details are a little sketchy on exactly what happened. The father told fire investigators that when he discovered the fire, he could not escape through the front door on the first floor because of the intense heat and flames. The father said he carried his 18-month-old daughter and led a 12-year-old son out a second-story window on the backside of the building. He said he lowered himself onto a small awning, and then jumped the rest of the way to the ground below.
Two firefighters received minor injuries while fighting the fire. No other injuries were reported. Two other families were displaced by the fire. The American Red Cross and the Chattanooga Housing Authority are assisting those families. Hamilton County EMS and Chattanooga-Hamilton County Rescue also provided assistance on the scene.
Fire investigators are working to determine the cause and origin of the fire. Detectives with the Major Crimes Division of the Chattanooga Police Department are also investigating the incident, which is standard procedure when fatalities are involved. If confirmed as fire fatalities by the Medical Examiner
