Story highlights 18 people died in Tennessee, emergency management officials say

Dangerously cold conditions continue to grip a large part of the Eastern U.S.

(CNN) At least 23 people have died this week in the United States due to winter weather, CNN has confirmed.

A majority of the deaths --18 -- occurred in Tennessee.

Three of those people died in a fire in Knox County, Tennessee emergency management officials said.

Family members said a man, woman and their adult son died in the fire, according to CNN affiliate WATE. Firefighters said they had difficulty reaching them because the second level of the house collapsed onto the lower level, WATE reported.

Other people in Tennessee died from hypothermia and in auto accidents, WATE said, and a dialysis patient died after he was unable to get treatment because of weather.

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