Four young sisters tragically died in a house fire in North Carolina early on Saturday, while two other children managed to escape and call for help.

The fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. on August 30, with no adults at home, according to Columbus County Fire Marshal Shannon Blackman. The girls who died were between 2 and 7 years old.

Two 12-year-old girls, including one sister of the children who died, were able to escape the house and contact emergency services.

Emergency teams from the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office and Chadbourn Rescue arrived at the home within seven minutes of the 911 call.

By the time responders got there, the house was already engulfed in flames. Sheriff Bill Rogers said it was too dangerous to enter, preventing the rescue of the girls.

Two local residents have now set up a GoFundMe to support the family. They shared their sorrow over the loss of Kendall, Kalani, Josie, and Sophia, describing the situation as heartbreaking.

The tragedy has deeply affected the community. Many knew the mother, Reagan Powers, and expressed grief for the children.

The fundraiser described the girls as “beautiful souls who brought joy and love to their family and everyone around them.”