House fires in Tennessee and Ohio on New Year's Day claimed the lives of seven people, including a pregnant woman and two of her children. <br>
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In Clarksville, Tenn., four people were killed in a fire that destroyed an apartment building and injured two others who tried to rescue the victims, authorities said. <br>
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The victims, which included a 3-year-old girl, had fallen asleep after a New Year's Eve party. <br>
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In Brewster, Ohio, Dixie Kahrig, 28, who was seven months pregnant, was killed in a house fire Tuesday along with her daughter, Alyssa, 7, and 5-year-old son, Zachery, despite rescue attempts by her husband, a volunteer firefighter. <br>
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Three other children, ages 3, 2, and 18 months, were in serious condition, suffering from smoke inhalation. Their father, Chris Kahrig, 32, was treated for smoke inhalation and was released. <br>
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A 12-year-old child was not home at the time of the fire. <br>
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The fire apparently started in the living room from an electrical short, assistant Fire Chief Dale Starcher said. <br>
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"The heat was tremendous. It melted a smoke detector on the second floor, melted it right off the ceiling," Starcher said. <br>
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The victims of the Tennessee fire were identified as Mike Keifer, 24; his daughter Hannah Keifer, 3; Molly Dottirer, 21, and Tina Baggett, 18. <br>
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Kevin Williams, 20, awoke at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday to find a toy box located near a wall-mounted heating and air conditioning unit on fire, Fire Marshal Ray Williams said. <br>
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The fire spread to the attic and other apartments, destroying 10 of the building's 12 units, he said. <br>
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The cause of the fire was being investigated. <br>
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Clarksville is about 40 miles northwest of Nashville. <br>
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