mother and her six children died when a fire destroyed their home early Saturday in central Mississippi, authorities said.
The father was the lone survivor of the 12:30 a.m. blaze in Clinton, a city of about 26,500 people just outside the capital city of Jackson. He tried unsuccessfully to save family members and suffered smoke inhalation, burns, cuts and bruises, city spokesman Mark Jones told The Associated Press.
He was taken to a local hospital but "wanted to stay at the scene," Jones said.
Officials later released a list of those killed: Brittany Presley, 33, and her children Landon Brookshire, 15; Lane Presley, 13; Lawson Presley, 12; Grayson Presley, 6; Malcom Presley, 4; and Felicity Presley, 1.
Brittany Presley was an elementary school teacher, the Canton Public School District said in a statement on Facebook.
