HIBBING, Minn. - Authorities say a grandfather died trying to rescue his family from a tragic house fire in Hibbing early Tuesday morning.
Shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, crews were dispatched to a home in the 200 block of 42nd St. East on a report of a house fire with people trapped inside.
According to the Hibbing Fire Department, one of three kids was already outside the home when firefighters arrived. Firefighters removed four people, two adults and two other kids, from the home. All four had no pulses and were not breathing.
The two adults, Steven Gillitzer, 67, and Patricia Gillitzer, 63, were the grandparents of the children. They did not survive the fire.
Emergency crews resuscitated the two children, but both later died. They have been identified as Todd Jacob Gillitzer Jr., 9, and Isaiah Anteus Adams, 3.
Authorities say the child who survived, 8-year-old Jonathan Gillitzer, was awoken by his grandfather and rushed to safety. Steven Gillitzer, a retired fire captain, went back in to continue rescue efforts, but never returned.
Temperatures in Hibbing at the time of the fire were ranging between 20-25 below zero, with wind chill pushing it down to 30 below zero, according to our news partner KBJR. Firefighters battled the blaze for more than three hours.
The Hibbing Fire Marshal is investigating the fire with help from the State Fire Marshals office.
"This is a heavy day for the Hibbing Fire Department and we send our condolences to the family of this terrible tragedy. Please take the extra time today to ensure your smoke alarms are working and that you safeguard your home of fire hazard," said Hibbing Fire Marshal Bryan Fagerstrom on Tuesday.
A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family.