Twins grieve loss of 3 generations of family members in East Bay fire
Twins grieve loss of 3 generations of family members in San Leandro fire
We spoke with twin sisters who survived San Leandros house deadly house fire, but lost their niece, mother and grandmother. There were nine people inside the home that may have been started by an e-bike battery. The official cause remains under investigation.
SAN LEANDRO, Calif. - We are hearing from family members who lost their loved ones in a house fire near San Leandro this week.
Twin sisters, Heather and Nicole Morrow are still processing the deaths of their mother, grandmother and 6-year-old niece after the fire broke out Thursday morning.
Heather was one of nine people inside the home at the time of the fire. She identified her niece, who died in the fire, as Aaliyah Jordan. Her twin sister who survived is Ella.
Fire breaks out
What we know:
"I was in bed with Ella," said Heather. "She had woken up from having a nightmare. We were just lying there and I was about to get the girls up to get them ready for school and all of a sudden there was these beams of fireballs just shooting everywhere."
Twins Heather and Nicole Morrow are grieving the loss of their niece, mother and grandmother after Thursday's house fire in San Leandro.
She said she and Ella ran out, fleeing from thick smoke.
"We were unable to get Aaliyah because the fire just took over the whole entire house. Like in a matter of a minute, less than a minute," Heather said.
Processing Grief
Heather introduced her own twin, Nicole, who is also processing everything that has happened to their family.
Their mother, Pam Morrow, 66, also died in the fire.
Aaliyah (left) and Ella (right).
"My mother…she had a lot of health conditions, so she didn’t survive the smoke," said Heather.
The twins say their mother was their rock and the center of everything.
"I tried to save her, but I couldn’t. By the time I dragged her out, her lungs had stopped working," said Nicole.
"And the whole house engulfed in flames so quickly that we were unable to wake my grandma," said Heather. "Aaliyah and my grandma were both sleeping."
Multi-generations of women
Their grandmother, 90-year-old Shirley Demerse, was described as "healthy as a horse."
"She started all of this. She was the top dog," Nicole said.
Ella (left) survived the fire, but her twin sister, Aaliyah (far right) died.
The twins said their grandmother loved her garden and was part of the Oakland Motorcycle Club, their grandfather being one of the club's founders, they said.
"She knitted blankets. She loved her grandchildren. That’s the only thing that kept her going ‘til 90-years-old," said Heather.
The twins say they've been honest with little Ella about what has happened. But so far she doesn't like talking about the tragedy.
Heather says she has been raising her twin nieces for four years.
"All Ella has to say is…she just wants to know if she’s still a twin…without her twin sister," said Heather.
"This is all new," says Heather. "I’ve never lost anybody in my family."
Nicole turns to her twin, choked up by the devastation, "But at least we have each other, Heather."
Family members told KTVU on Thursday that they believe the fire was caused by an e-bike battery. An official cause has not yet been determined.
The Alameda County Sheriff's Department is still coming through the debris as part of their investigation.
A family friend has set up a gofundme to help the family out during their difficult time.
KTVU's Henry Lee contributed to this report.
Pam Morrow, 66, (left) and Shirley Demerse, 90 (right), died in the San Leandro fire.
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Relative says 3 family members killed in San Leandro house fire
Family members say three people are dead from a Thursday morning San Leandro house fire.