ACCOMACK COUNTY, Va. — It's a tragedy that is still felt in a small mobile home community in Nelsonia.
A home was destroyed, with nothing left but rubble. The strong smell still penetrated the air on Tuesday, as neighbors wonder what happened.
Virginia State Police said a fire, in which three people died Friday morning, is being investigated as an arson and homicide.
Neighbors said the three people who died were a husband, wife, and their young daughter.
Diego Ajanel is the victim’s next door neighbor.
“I feel terrible,” said Ajanel. “All I can think is: ‘Why did this happen? How did this house catch fire?’”
Ajanel said he was sleeping when he heard a loud explosion from outside. His wife ran over to his room and urged him to get up. Outside, his home next to his was engulfed in flames. Ajanel rushed to move his car before the flames reached it.
On Tuesday, the Medical Examiner's office said the three victims suffered injuries inconsistent with a fire. It did not give further information about the type of injuries they were. The three people killed have not been identified as of yet.
Diego told 13News Now the victims lived in a different mobile down the road before they moved into the home that burned down Friday.
The family’s previous home burned down, too. It happened eight years ago.
“I feel sad for the family,” said Ajanel. “They were my neighbors, those are three people. I feel really awful.”
Ajanel and other neighbors, who asked not to be named, said other family members lived in the home.
They are the male victim’s mother and father, but they were at work during the fire.
State police are asking anyone with information concerning the fire to please contact us at 757-424-6800 or #77 on a cell phone or by email at questions@vsp.virginia.gov.