GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Va. — Officials have identified the family killed in a fire that destroyed a garage apartment in Gloucester County early Sunday morning.
Deputies and Gloucester Volunteer Fire & Rescue responded to the 4200 block of Hickory Fork Road just after 2:40 a.m. and found a detached garage with an upstairs apartment fully engulfed in flames.
Crews learned that three people — two adults and one juvenile — lived in the apartment and were believed to be inside. Gloucester Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief J.D. Clements said a woman, her boyfriend and his young daughter died in the fire.
Wednesday, the Gloucester County Sheriff's Office identified the adult victims as Kelly Lynn Stewart, 46, and Matthew Paul Schultz, 37. Schultz's 8-year-old daughter, who will not be named by officials, was the juvenile victim.
One of the victims had connections to the department, Clements said Sunday.
“I just can't emphasize how hard it is at any time, but to deal with somebody that you know on a daily basis, it just makes it that much harder,” Clements said, adding that the tragedy "took a toll on our people."
WATCH: Drone video shows scene of garage apartment fire that killed 3 in Gloucester
Clements said a fire department member lives directly across the street and saw the garage engulfed in flames when he stepped outside.
“He said the whole garage was just engulfed in flames at that point. Then they heard several, small explosions,” Clements said.
Officials later learned the explosions came from oxygen tanks stored in the lower level of the garage.
“The lady that was deceased, she had some lung issues and was on oxygen from time to time,” Clements said.
Firefighters put out the fire in about 20 to 30 minutes, but recovering the three bodies took much longer.
“We had to bring in outside equipment to assist in that phase of the scene. And it took a took a toll on our people,” Clements said.
More than 25 people responded to the scene, Clements said.
The Virginia State Police and Gloucester County Sheriff's Office have not released the cause of the fire. The investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story, so check back with WTKR.com for updates. Email News 3 if you have info to share.
