EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – Two people were killed Thursday night, April 18 during a house fire in El Paso’s Lower Valley.
El Paso Fire received a call about a Condition 2 fire shortly after 8 p.m. to a house fire located on Barton Street near North Carolina Drive. Fourteen units and two dozen firefighters responded to the scene, effectively knocking down the flames in 20 minutes without further injuries, according to an El Paso Fire spokesperson at the scene on Thursday night.
Our KTSM crews spoke with neighbors who said the people who were killed were an elderly married couple, who have lived there for many years.
“They were a beautiful couple. They loved each other so much. He would always say he didn’t want to die and leave his wife alone,” said Nelly Ornelas, who told KTSM crews she was a close friend of the couple and often visited them.
“I went over to the house right now and almost broke down. I feel so sad that they won’t be there any longer. But they left together,” Ornelas said.
Ornelas said she visited the couple earlier in the day before the fire happened and spoke with the woman that died.
“It’s so strange. I couldn’t believe it. I could not sleep all night just wondering how this was possible. I spoke with her yesterday and she seemed fine, and now they’re gone,” Ornelas said.
She added that the couple couldn’t move around much as they were both very sick, and doesn’t believe the couple had any kids or other family members in the city, but has heard that family from Chihuahua are on their way.
El Paso fire marshals and El Paso Police have been investigating the cause of the fire, and have yet to confirm the names of the people that were killed.
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