Community raising money for family of siblings killed in house fire near Kingsburg

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Community support is pouring in for the parents who lost two children in a tragic house fire in Fresno County on Sunday morning.

Kingsburg Community Assistance Program and Services, a non-denominational Christian ministry, is helping the family through this devastating time.

The group is providing the family with everything from emotional to financial support.

"I was able to pray with (the father), give him that kind of comfort," said Aida Rushing, the Executive Director. "He is very thankful. We were able to help contact the Red Cross, which had already reached out to him."

Family members shared with Action News precious photos of the 7-year-old Gloria and 8-year-old Gerardo Reyes, whose young lives were cut short by the fire.

Loved ones tell Action News Gloria and Gerardo were happy kids who loved to play, and their parents would have given their own lives to save them.

Their father was not home when the flames tore through this property Sunday morning. But deputies say their mother rammed an SUV into the house to try to reach them before she was rushed to the hospital with burns.

Skyview 30 video shows the destruction left behind by the inferno.

Rushing recalls driving by the home and seeing the smoke that Sunday morning.

"We were driving in town that morning, and my 16-year-old daughter saw the smoke," said Rushing. "We literally stopped, and we prayed."

Hours later, Rushing received a phone call after the fire, letting her know that two children had died. Rushing said her agency has been in close contact with their father...

"Just seeing his heart very broken," said Rushing. "Not having the understanding of the why. It's just hard."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses.

Rushing said checks can also be sent to KCAPs.

"We'll continue to walk alongside them. What we'll be able to do is, later on down the road, help them further," said Rushing. "Whether it's they need to get an apartment or whatever financial need that they would need."

CAL FIRE is still working to figure out what sparked the fire.

"We're looking at common things that start house fires. We're looking at electrical," said Battalion Chief Seth Brown. "We're looking at any possible ignition source inside the home. We also look for ignition sources outside of the home."

It's still unclear if the smoke alarms in the house were working. According to CAL FIRE, the investigation may take several weeks.

"We want to be as thorough as possible," said Brown. "So, we're looking at all angles."

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