“It’s really just a tragic accident” 75-year-old adult and two children die in NSC fire

NORTH SIOUX CITY, SD (KELO) – Tonight we’ll learn more about the victims of a deadly fire in North Sioux City.

Three people died, including two small children. Just days after the fire, family members report receiving overwhelming support from the community.

Sara Zupp says it was an emotional time dealing with the loss of her two young nephews.

It’s been four days since a tragic fire took the life of Sara Zupp’s nephew.

‘It’s really hard. I cried a lot and so did my sister,” said Sara Zupp, aunt.

Multiple fire and police departments were called to the northern edge of North Sioux City early Saturday morning. According to Union County Emergency Management, the fire was caused by a propane explosion.

“I just don’t think anything could have been done. “It’s really just a tragic accident,” Zupp said.

Hours later, emergency services discovered the bodies of 75-year-old Sharon Allen, as well as one-year-old Erza and eight-year-old Keenan Allen. Zupp said her nephews were with their grandma because their mother, Brittany, was in Omaha with her youngest child.

“The only reason the kids were at Grandma’s was because the little boy had to have open heart surgery…Emotions fluctuate a lot. You go from sadness to anger, especially because we don’t know exactly what happened. “It’s hard to keep track, especially when the kids were so small,” Zupp said.

Zupp says the fire destroyed much of the family’s property, but says the community rallied behind them.

“In times like these you have to be able to rely on the people in the community to some extent and here too you have to say that they did nothing other than be super helpful in this situation. “I can’t be more grateful and neither can my sister,” Zupp said.

Zupp created a Venmo for monetary donations. You can also donate physical items such as diapers and baby and children’s clothing to the North Sioux Fire Department.