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Funeral Services Held For Fire Victims In Pottsville

POTTSVILLE — It was a final farewell in Schuylkill County to two adults and four children killed in a house fire earlier this week. Kelly Brown tearfully ...

POTTSVILLE -- It was a final farewell in Schuylkill County to two adults and four children killed in a house fire earlier this week.

Kelly Brown tearfully addressed the packed church in Pottsville at a funeral service for her husband, sister and four young children.

“When I lost them I lost everything,” said Brown.

It was a packed room here at the Four Square Gospel Church in Pottsville as many wanted to say goodbye to six people who died in a house fire earlier this week.

They wanted to offer condolences to Kelly Brown who lost her husband, sister and four children to the blaze.

“Never in my life, never in our lives, we haven't seen anything like this, it's unbelievable,” said Christine Schwartz.

The fire chief said Eric Brown, his sister-in-law Kristina Thomas and Brown's children, eight year old Joy, seven year old Jeremiah, three year old Emily and two year old Elijah were all sleeping on the third floor of their home on Pierce Street when the fire broke out just before midnight Sunday.

Kelly was next door doing laundry and could do nothing but watch as her family perished.

“Everybody that knows knew how much I loved my children, my children were my best friends, they were my life,” said Brown.

“It's a lot to take in, it's a shame, I'm so sorry,” said Lindsey Russell, who was overwhelmed by tears.

Terri Bachman`s children went to school with Jeremiah.

“I told them if I was in her shoes up there right now, I wouldn't be standing there right now,” said Bachman. “I really would not be standing there right now. I don't even know the lady and my heart just fell for her.”

“Oh my god they were well behaved, they were always smiling, always smiling, never a tear coming out of their eyes,” said Schwartz.

While this is a time of grieving, it's also a time of togetherness with a community rallying together in this moment of sadness.

“I’m actually proud to say that I'm from this area just because of how well we do come together, it's sad but it seems to always happen when a tragedy strikes,” said Russell.

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