Two sisters beloved by their family and Orange, New Jersey community were killed after they ran back into a burning home to save their father, but never made it out, per ABC7.
On Thanksgiving Day (Nov 27), flames broke out around 5 p.m. at the home on Mosswood Avenue in Orange.
Prosecutors say Frantzia Fleury, 49, and Pojanee “PJ” Fleury, 42 were helping their father, who has dementia and limited mobility, when they became trapped inside.
The fire department came within minutes, but not before the two women passed away. They were pronounced dead shortly after 6:45 p.m.
Their father and six other occupants managed to escape without injury. Witnesses said they saw family members keeping warm inside a NJ Transit bus.
The home has been declared uninhabitable.
Frantzia was a Marine Corps veteran turned x-ray technician, while Pojanee was starting her own media company, according to a cousin. Each sister leaves one child behind.
“This family’s been here my entire life, as long as I’ve been here. They’ve always been good people, one of the daughters of the house they used to babysit me when I was younge,r too, so I know that they’re going through a lot right now,” neighbor Justin McDaniel said.