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Relatives Raising Money for Survivors of Deadly Apartment Fire

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Relatives of the three people killed in an apartment fire in Luzerne County are asking the community to help their surviving famil...

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Relatives of the three people killed in an apartment fire in Luzerne County are asking the community to help their surviving family and friends.

Grief-stunned relatives and friends stood before what's left of their home on Little Street in Hanover Township after a deadly fire claimed the lives of three of their loved ones.

John and Julia Crossley, both 27, and Julia's two-year-old daughter Riley Ferrara died after the flames broke out before 3 a.m. Monday.

John was a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserve. Julia was pregnant with her fourth child.

“Knowing that I don't have her anymore is hard,” said Zoe Silfee.

Silfee and her husband Bryan are relatives of the victims. They have started a GoFundMe page to raise money for those who made it out of the apartment, especially the children.

“I want to be able to bring security to the families in this time and make sure that the surviving children are able to be taken care of and any extra costs for the funerals,” said Zoe.

“We're hoping to be able to help the family, the ones that are left, and friends were living there made it out,” said Bryan.

The Hanover Township fire chief says his crews were also deeply impacted over the loss of lives claimed by this fire.

“You know these guys, you look them in the eyes and you can tell there's something bothering them,” said Chief Joe Temarantz.

Temarantz says the Luzerne County 911 center sent its stress debriefing management team to talk with those crews.

The chief thanks the community overall for getting them through this hard day.

“The public support has been unbelievable,” said Temarantz. “If I took you back into the kitchen right now, there's donuts, there's hoagies, my phone has been blowing up all day.”

The fire chief says a state police fire marshal is investigating this deadly fire.

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