Family says Frantzia and Pojanee Fleury ran back inside to reach their father as flames spread.
ORANGE, N.J. — Two sisters were killed on Thanksgiving evening after reentering a burning home on Mosswood Avenue to reach their father, authorities and relatives said. The victims were identified as Frantzia Fleury, 49, and Pojanee “PJ” Fleury, 42. The blaze was reported around 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27.
Investigators with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and local fire officials are examining what sparked the fire, which tore through a two-story residence during a family holiday gathering. Relatives said the sisters had helped other people escape and then rushed back toward their father, who uses a wheelchair and is living with dementia. Several people, including the father, made it out. The sisters did not. Officials described the home as heavily damaged and said the cause remains under investigation.
Neighbors called 911 as smoke pushed onto the block and firefighters arrived to find flames running through the structure. Family members said the sisters were last seen heading toward a rear area of the home to search for their father. Crews pulled multiple residents to safety as conditions worsened. “They were devoted daughters,” a cousin said at the scene, voice breaking. “They thought about everyone else before themselves.” First responders worked for hours to control hot spots as relatives gathered on the sidewalk, many still wearing Thanksgiving clothing.
Authorities confirmed two fatalities and said at least seven other people escaped the home. The father was rescued and received medical attention; his condition was not immediately released. Officials did not report injuries to firefighters. Public safety leaders said investigators will review doorbell video, interview witnesses and examine electrical and heating systems. Records list the address as a single-family home on Mosswood Avenue in the City of Orange, a residential street near Central Avenue, where houses sit close together and smoke can spread quickly across porches and yards.
Relatives and colleagues described the sisters as community-minded and constant caretakers. Frantzia worked in health care and was known for checking on neighbors; friends said she often shared extra meals on holidays. Pojanee ran creative projects and community initiatives and was regarded as a steady organizer at family events. Neighbors said the family had lived on the block for years, with the sisters frequently helping their father to appointments. Thanksgiving typically drew relatives from across North Jersey, filling the driveway and sidewalk with cars.
Officials said the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office arson task force is leading the origin-and-cause investigation alongside local fire marshals. A formal cause could take days or weeks, depending on lab results and structural assessments. If investigators determine the fire was accidental, the case will close with a cause and manner; if not, additional steps could include search warrants, subpoenas and possible criminal charges. Authorities said they will also review smoke alarms, exits and witness timelines to reconstruct the final movements inside the home.
As the sun rose Friday, mourners left flowers and candles on the sidewalk and leaned on one another for support. “These two women had big hearts,” said a cousin who gave his name as Sidney. A neighbor, Justin McDaniel, said the family has been part of the block his entire life. “They loved their dad. Anybody who knew them knows they would not leave him,” McDaniel said. Fire tape still ringed the property as city inspectors assessed the structure’s stability and utility crews secured the site.
By Sunday, officials said the cause remained under investigation and no additional information on the father’s condition had been released. The prosecutor’s office is expected to provide the next update this week as investigators complete interviews and examine debris collected from the scene.
Author note: Last updated December 1, 2025.