While many Americans were enjoying turkey, quality family time and sports, one New Jersey family was devastated when a fire broke out in their home on Thanksgiving. Two heroic sisters saved their father from the flames, but the story unfolded in an unimaginable way that left their family heartbroken.
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Frantzia Fleury, 49, and her sister, Pojanee “PJ” Fleury, 42, were gathered with family at a home on Mosswood between Heywood and Tremont Avenues in Orange, a city just outside of Newark, for the holiday last week. Around 5 p.m. a fire erupted in the home, according to CBS News.
Claire Stevens, a neighbor, recalled how the fire appeared to spread rapidly.
“We were just afraid that our neighbors may be in there and not able to get out,” Stevens said Thanksgiving night. “We were able to come out and try to comfort some of the neighbors that were also very concerned.”
Seven of the sister’s family members managed to exit the fiery home, except for their father who has dementia and limited mobility. The two sisters bravely returned into the blaze to rescue their dad, and was successful, saving their father from the fire. However, they ended up perishing in the flames.
Frantzia, an X-ray technologist, and her sister PJ, founder of the wellness magazine, were pronounced dead at 6:45 p.m., according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. They are both survived by one child.
Justin McDaniel, a nearby resident who said he is close to the grieving family, recalled how they had “been here my entire life,” per WCBS.
The sister’s cousin, who only identified himself as Sidney, told local news channel ABC 7 how they both “had big hearts. They were very deeply devoted to their families. And it’s just a tragedy.” The cousin added: “I don’t know how my aunt is gonna deal with this. My uncle… I don’t even know if he’s aware of what’s going on.”
Their rescued father is “fighting to recover” from smoke inhalation, per a GoFundMe campaign created to “cover funeral expenses, provide for the children left behind, and rebuild their home from the ashes.” The home has been declared uninhabitable.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and currently under investigation.
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