‘A lot of tears’: Loved ones mourn 3 sisters, 3-year-old boy killed in house fire

HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB/Gray News) - Loved ones are remembering four members of a Connecticut family, including two children, who were killed in a fire that left the rest of the family with nothing.

A memorial is growing near the scene of an early Monday morning house fire in Hartford that killed four family members. Fire officials have not released the identities of the victims, but family friend Katiria Charles identified them as 21-year-old Krystalee Hernandez, her 25-year-old and 14-year-old sisters and her 3-year-old nephew.

As loved ones dropped off balloons and stuffed animals at the memorial, they shared stories about those who died.

“We’re holding on, trying to stay strong. A lot of tears, a lot of screams, a lot of anger. Why did she leave? Why did they leave? Not only one but four,” said Jennifer Garcia, a family friend.

Charles says Hernandez was her son’s girlfriend. She says the couple began dating when they were 15 years old, and Hernandez lived with her for six years.

“I think she went back to go save the other ones staying on the second and third floor, and tragically, she didn’t make it out,” Charles said.

Fire officials say an 11-person family was living in the home. Four other family members were taken to the hospital after the fire, along with a firefighter. They were all expected to be OK.

Two family members visited the house late Tuesday afternoon. One of them had bandages on their hands.

Stephanie Willis told WFSB her cousin had been renting the house for the past three years. It was a place she was proud to raise her seven children in, never imagining it’s where she would lose her three daughters and grandson.

“My cousin said that the girls were right behind her, but the flames got too big, and they got scared. They ran back up the stairs,” Willis said.

Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam stopped by the growing memorial outside the home, making sure the family knows the city is here to help.

“I held my kids a lot closer. As a dad, as a mayor of the city, my heart goes out to this family. It’s just an incredible tragedy,” Arulampalam said.

A neighbor named Roussell, who did not want to share his last name, says fire and smoke woke up his family early Monday.

“My sister woke me up saying, ‘There’s a fire!’ I’m thinking it’s our house because you can smell the smoke and everything,” he said.

He says he started seeing other neighbors rushing out of their homes to see the flames for themselves.

“Really, really scary. Words can’t describe,” Rousell said. “It was really tragic. It’s something you want to forget.”

Willis started a GoFundMe to help the family, who lost everything in the fire. She is also working on putting together donation boxes where people can bring canned food items and old clothes.

“They have nothing. The remaining kids need help, too. They have no clothes, no sneakers, nothing for school. Everything burned in the house, everything they had,” she said.

The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.

The home was owned by Cardinal Realty Investors LLC, according to documents obtained from the city’s Office of Licenses and Inspection. They were issued multiple violations by the city in 2021 and 2022 for lighting switches and electrical outlets that were found to be in disrepair. The city noted these issues were corrected soon after.