POMPANO BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Residents of a Pompano Beach apartment complex have built a memorial to honor two girls killed in a fire over the weekend.
A table, covered with candles, stuffed animals, flowers and photos of 5-month-old Abigail Espinoza and 5-year-old Sofia Melendez now sits outside the unit that caught fire.
The mother of the two girls left them in the care of her 15-year-old sister while she went to work Saturday night. At some point, the apartment caught fire and filled with smoke. Sofia and Abigail were unable to make it out.
According to officials, the teen sister and 2-year-old brother left the apartment to go to the store, leaving the sisters alone.
Neighbors said the smoke alarms inside the building never went off.
“We are all frustrated as neighbors and parents of little kids ourselves,” neighbor Alejandra Rodriguez said. “It’s very difficult for us.”
“Just imagine how [the mother’s] doing, to lose two daughters at the same time,” neighbor Celi de la Cruz said. “One just 5 years old and the other 5 months. It’s not easy.”
When asked about the alarms, the front office of the apartment said they were inspected in June, and they were working at the time.
Another neighbor recalled seeing Sofia playing in the community playground on Friday.
“She always loved to play here in this park,” de la Cruz said. “Just Friday she waved and said, ‘Hi, neighbor.'”
The fire is now being investigated by the State Fire Marshal and Broward Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit.
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