A devastating house fire on Christmas morning in Tennessee claimed the lives of two young sisters and left their mother critically injured, according to authorities and family members.
The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said crews responded to a reported fire at 6:15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 25, at a home in the 600 block of West Valley Drive in Kingsport. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Authorities later identified the victims as sisters Riley Blevins, 11, and Maggie Blevins, 9. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
In a Facebook post shared on Saturday, Dec. 27, the Addington Agency, a real estate company based in Bristol, identified the hospitalized victim as the girls’ mother, Nicole Blevins, who works as an agent for the firm.
“Nicole is currently in the burn unit, and our hearts are with her as she faces both physical recovery and a level of loss no parent should ever have to carry,” the company wrote.
Lacie Hafley, Blevins’ sister and the children’s aunt, described the tragedy in a GoFundMe campaign she organized to support the family. She said the fire caused Nicole to lose her home, her car, and her “two only daughters.”
“My sister survived but suffered severe burns and is currently in the ICU burn unit in North Carolina, where she is fighting for her life,” Hafley wrote. “Her road ahead will be long and painful — physically, emotionally, and financially.”
Hafley added that her sister is facing overwhelming medical bills, rehabilitation, travel costs, and future living expenses, all while grieving the loss of her children.
As of Tuesday, Dec. 30, the fundraiser had collected nearly $200,000.
Riley and Maggie were students at Boone Creek Elementary School, according to the Johnson City Press. Washington County Superintendent Jerry Boyd told the outlet that he had been in contact with the family following what he described as a “terrible, terrible tragedy.”
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office with the ongoing investigation.
In its Facebook post, the Addington Agency urged the community to keep the family in their thoughts and prayers during the difficult days ahead.
