Two women were reportedly killed in a fire on Wednesday morning in a house fire at a Southampton Vacation home.
The victims were identified as Jillian Wiener and Lindsay Wiener. Both were sleeping when the blaze broke out at the Noyack Bay Home at around 3:30 a.m., WRC-TV reported.
The outlet added that the father of the two girls, Lewis Wiener, was awakened by the sound of breaking glass and tried to get his wife and kids out of the house.
Jillian and Lindsay were trapped in their upstairs bedroom at that time. Lewis tried to re-enter the burning home to save his daughters but was unable to get through the flames.
“My heart is just full of sadness hearing this news,” Goli Azhdam, a friend and neighbor of the Potomac family, stated. “I knew them since they were born and it’s truly shocking. Truly, extremely sad news.”
Both were still studying. Jillian, 21, was an incoming senior at the University of Michigan. Lindsay, 19, was also set to return to Tulane University as a sophomore.
Lewis Wiener reportedly served as the president for one of the country’s largest Reform Jewish synagogues, the Post reported.
“The world has lost two beautiful lights today, and the Washington Hebrew Congregation community is heartbroken,” the synagogue reportedly said. “Through their leadership and service, acts of kindness, and friendship, the Wiener family — Lewis, Alisa, Zach, Jillian, and Lindsay – has touched so many lives at Washington Hebrew.”
Efforts were made to talk to the Southampton police but no comments were made as of this writing.
Also, the origin of the fire has yet to be known. However, it did not appear to be suspicious and the root cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
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