WILMINGTON, Del. (WPVI) — A married couple was killed and two firefighters were injured after a fire tore through a three-story home in Wilmington, Delaware, early Tuesday morning, according to family members and fire officials.
Firefighters responded to the unit block of 8th Avenue shortly after 2:30 a.m. and arrived to find all three floors of the townhome on fire.
The cause of the blaze, which claimed the lives of John and Tanya Poteat, remains under investigation.
Family says husband and wife, John Poteat and Tanya Rogers, were killed in an early morning house fire in Wilmington, Delaware.
Family members remembered the couple as people who were loved by those around them and said their deaths have left them devastated.
“My sister is gone. She’s gone. She’s gone. That’s all I know. My sister and my brother-in-law are gone. They’re both gone,” Sharon Osburn, Tanya Poteat’s sister, said.
According to local officials, the home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived, and the second floor collapsed before the fire was brought under control more than two hours later.
First responders found the victims’ remains in the main bedroom.
The couple’s daughter, Janene Peterson, described her parents as caring people who touched many lives.
“Excellent people. I miss my mom. She was loving. She loves her grandkids. She loved everybody. Same thing with my stepdad. He loved everyone too,” Peterson said.
Family members also told Action News that the couple had three dogs. There was no immediate word on what happened to the animals.
Two firefighters were injured while battling the blaze, fire officials said.
“Both transported to the ER. Minor injuries. In fact, one has already been treated and released from the ER,” Wilmington Fire Department Chief John Looney said.
Officials said surrounding homes sustained fire, smoke and water damage. There was no immediate information on how many residents may have been displaced.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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