WATCH: The two people seriously injured in an Edmonton house fire have died from their injuries. Lisa Wolansky has the story.
EDMONTON — Two people who were seriously injured in a house fire earlier this week have died.
The victims have been identified as Roseann Deleeuw, 26, and Jeremy Grambo, 28. The young couple leaves behind two young boys, aged four and eight-months-old.
“We don’t really know where we go from here,” said Deleeuw’s sister Kayla Walker. “It’s kind of one of those things where you take it minute by minute.”
The boys were not home at the time of the fire, which broke out in a townhouse at Northwoods Village, in the area of 152 Avenue and 114 Street, around 3 a.m. Sunday.
Fire crews were called by a neighbour who smelled smoke coming from the unit. Edmonton fire chief Ken Block says Deleeuw, who is originally from Chase, B.C., and Grambo, from Edmonton, were found in the living room.
“They were in cardiac arrest, so our crews removed them and initiated CPR,” Block said Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the man and woman were taken to hospital in serious condition.
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Kayla and her sister Jamie Walker say they learned of their sister’s death on Monday.
“She was amazing. She was a lot of fun. Everybody adored her. She was the silliest person,” Kayla said Wednesday afternoon. “She’s a very popular, loved girl.”
Deleeuw and Grambo had been together for about two-and-a-half years.
“They were hilarious together. They could really crack you up,” said Jamie. “They would drop anything for anybody.”
“He loved Rozy and those two were inseparable,” Kayla said of Grambo.
“He loved those boys. He was a great dad to them.”
The couple’s children were staying at their grandparents’ place when the fire broke out this weekend. Kayla and Jamie say the boys are the entire family’s first priority.
“The boys are with Jeremy’s parents right now and we’re just hoping that we can share Christmas all together and just be there for the boys right now,” said Kayla.
The couple was renting the townhouse. Friends have started a gofundme webpage for the couple’s funeral costs and their sons.
Damage is estimated at $100,000.
“The damage wasn’t that extensive as far as dollar loss goes, but obviously the tragedy is in the victims,” said Block. “Whenever there is loss of life in a fire, at a fire scene, that’s very difficult at any time of year. It’s just amplified when it’s the holiday season.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and loved ones of those that were involved.”
The fire remains under investigation, but Block says it started on or near the kitchen stove.