LYNNWOOD, Wash — The survivors of a deadly fire that broke out at a Lynnwood apartment complex over the weekend said they desperately tried to save two siblings from the burning building.
"I ran over here, yesterday, and when I saw what had happened I just fell to my knees," said Joanna Jamerson, who returned to her home Monday.
Jamerson lives next door to where the deadly fire started on Sunday afternoon at the Lynnwood Townhouse Apartments on 196th Street near Edmonds Community College.
"It's just really one of the worst things ever," said Jamerson. "My brother had nightmares all night and he's really having a hard time."
Jamerson's brother heard screams as he was watching the Seahawks game Sunday and thought it was the neighbor kids playing, but quickly realized it was no game. He ran outside and saw the neighbors' townhouse on fire with the children trapped inside.
"The kids did not stand a chance," said Jamerson.
Jamerson's brother and others tried desperately to rescue those kids but the smoke and flames were too much.
"That's when him and some of the other neighbors started throwing rocks at the glass to try to get the kids. They were upstairs, so they were trying to break the windows," Jamerson said.
The children who died were a 15-year-old girl and her 7-year-old brother. They attended school in the Shoreline School District but visited their relatives at the Lynnwood home frequently.
Neighbors described them as "cousins" to the other child in the house and fixtures in the neighborhood.
"These are kids that we see every day, kids that we play with every day. They were kids that we love that are very important to all of us," said Jamerson.
Officials said a man and a woman, as well as an 11-year-old boy, were all able to escape the fire. Fire officials said the man is related to the two victims, but they weren't able to say the exact relation. The woman is the mother of the 11-year-old survivor.
Another 15 people have been displaced as a result of the fire.
People have been leaving flowers and stuffed animals outside the apartment complex in memory of the victims, and support for the survivors.
"I just can't even imagine how bad their family is feeling," said Jamerson. "I don't understand how it happened so fast, within seconds. I just don't understand."
Fire officials said it was unclear whether there were functioning smoke detectors in the apartment.
The names of the deceased will be released by the Snohomish County Medical Examiner after autopsies are complete.