Collierville fire: Sharron, Joy and Aaron, 17 are siblings from Telangana.
Highlights
- The siblings were missionary students and staying with an American family
- The fire broke out around 11 pm and left much of the building charred
- The church said the family of siblings were still learning the details
Three young siblings from Telangana died in a fire on Sunday night at the home of an American family they were staying with. The three, all missionary students, were guests for the holidays with the family in a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee.
Aaron Naik, 17, Sharron Naik, 14 and Joy Naik, 15, were killed along with 46-year-old Kari Coudriet, the owner of the two-storey home. The fire broke out around 11 pm and left much of the building charred.
The tragedy was confirmed in a Facebook post by the Town of French Camp, which said: "Friends and family, please pray for Pastor Naik and his wife. They sent their three precious children to America from India to keep them safe, and during the break, a fire took their lives."
The post also said the children "have been a blessing to the French Camp community and are loved by our whole town. I cannot fathom the grief of their parents as I know how much our town is grieving."
Tennessee fire: The deaths of the children from Telangana was confirmed in a Facebook post by the Town of French Camp
Only Kari's husband Daniel Coudriet and their son Cole, 13, survived the fire, according to a statement by the Collierville Bible Church, where the Telangana children's father is a pastor. Reports suggest Daniel Coudriet jumped out of a second story window and called for help.
The church said the family of the Telangana siblings were still learning the details. "At this time, we are asking for privacy and discretion regarding the Missionary children. The family is in route from India and many of the details of the events are still being communicated to the family. Please respect this family and give them the time and ability to process information before posting any details on all media and social media outlets," said the church, urging people to donate for emergency flight expenses and other costs.