Tragic house fire claims lives of mother and two sons in Montclair
MONTCLAIR, Va. - A Northern Virginia community is mourning the loss of a mother and her two children, who were killed in an early morning house fire in Montclair on Friday.
The single-family home on Piedmont Place was completely destroyed by the blaze, and neighbors are heartbroken after learning that the family didn’t survive.
"It was dark, but the fire was very bright," said a neighbor, Leo, who witnessed the scene unfold. He was on his way to the bus stop just before 6 a.m. when he saw the street filled with fire trucks and flames engulfing the house. "There was a lot of fire just everywhere."
Leo’s thoughts immediately went to the people inside the home.
"I was just thinking if they were safe, or if they were okay," he said.
According to Prince William County Fire officials, the victims were 49-year-old Sameena Begum and her two sons, ages 13 and 8. They were found inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene.
"I knew them very well. They were a really good family," Leo said, visibly shaken.
Featured
3 residents found dead in home after house fire in Prince William County
Prince William County officials say three residents of a home in Montclair, Virginia remain unaccounted for as firefighters continue to battle smoke and flames from an early morning blaze.
Firefighters arrived at the home and attempted to rescue the family, but the intensity of the fire and the collapse of the roof made the situation dire.
"We’ve had a complete collapse of the roof into the second floor down to the first floor," said Battalion Chief Tom Jarman of the Prince William County Fire Department.
Aerial footage from SkyFOX showed smoke still rising from the charred remains of the home, now a tragic scene in what was once a quiet neighborhood. Neighbors gathered at the site, many in tears, trying to comprehend the loss.
Leo and his mother watched from their front lawn, struggling to hold back their emotions.
"We were just talking about how important being close to family is," Leo said. "Always enjoy the moments with your family because you never know what could happen the next day."
Authorities confirmed that another family living in the basement of the home managed to escape safely.
Fire officials also noted that the home had working smoke alarms. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but at this time, Prince William County Police do not believe it was suspicious.