JANESVILLE, Wis. — The two people who died in a Janesville house fire on Friday were a mother and a daughter, their loved ones told News 3 Now on Saturday.
The Janesville Fire Department says the cause of the fire is unknown, and foul play is not suspected.
RELATED: Two dead in Janesville house fire; cause under investigation
On the day of the fire one victim asked her boyfriend, who also lived in the home, to bring her lunch. When he returned to work at McDonald’s, he received the call about the fire.
When News 3 Now met him Saturday, he was grieving and retrieving his belongings from the home that’s been deemed a total loss.
He was with coworkers, what they called their “McFamily,” hands charred, salvaging what they could. Through the rubble, they found a rosary, and a ring he’d given to his girlfriend.
He said she was “the best person in the world.”
Janesville Fire Department officials said the home was engulfed in flames when they arrived
“The first arriving crews made a very heroic effort trying to get inside and locate the victims,” Battalion Chief Chris Lukas said. “Unfortunately, they were driven out by fire and heat. They were able to get back in within minutes.”
They pulled one victim from the home who later died at the hospital, while the other victim had already succumbed to her injuries.
Neighbors told News 3 Now that the daughter escaped the burning home, but re-entered to attempt to save her mother.
A GoFundMe hasn’t been set up yet, but loved ones said they could use the help to fund the funeral.
COPYRIGHT 2022 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
