Five people - three children and two adults - died in a large fire that roared through several apartments in a row of 1840s brick homes early Tuesday, said Maysville Mayor David Cartmell.
"It's a pretty grisly scene right now," he told FOX19 NOW in a live interview, adding that the incident is very upsetting to the community. "We all know the people who live here."
The children and their mother died at the scene of the 1 a.m. blaze in the 200 block of West Second Street, he said. The man, who was in another unit, was pronounced dead at Meadowview Regional Medical Center.
"The mother apparently tried to save the children and was overcome," the mayor said. "It's just a real tragedy."
When firefighters first arrived on scene, they found the residence fully engulfed in flames, according to Maysville police Lt. Justin Horch.
An arson investigator is looking into the cause of the blaze, police said.
A damage estimate was not immediately available. The homes appear to have sustained heavy damage, and the mayor said the roof caved in.
It's not clear if the homes, which have common walls, can be salvaged, he said.