"The last words I exchanged with her were 'Happy New Year' -- and it turned out to be not such a good New Year after all," said the fire victim's family member Francisca Borjas.
It was a wish for a Happy New Year that Borjas truly wanted for her sister-in-law's family. It was a wish that will never come true.
"Approximately, several minutes after midnight we reported a mobile home on fire," said A Priselac, Brazoria County Fire Marshal.
Fire investigators say by the time they arrived to the mobile home park in Alvin there was little they could do for the family that was asleep inside.
"It's very devastating, very devastating," said Priselac. "When there was small children involved, it takes a toll on everybody, even myself."
Ignacio Contreras, 33, and his wife Rosa Contreras, 26, along with their 4-year-old son Ignacio Jr. died at the scene. One-year-old Vicente Contreras died at the hospital along with his seven-year-old sister Jazmyn Rodriguez-Aguilar.
"She was a bright student -- she was going to school, she was a learning a lot of things,' said Borjas. "She was happy that she was here in the United States learning English and making new friends."
The family has been in the United States for six years. They have lived in Alvin the last four years.
"It's a very hard situation for us. They were very outgoing people. The husband worked hard. He was a roofer. My sister-in-law would stay home and take care of her kids." She was a good mom."
Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire. However, they do say that it was a very small fire that started somewhere in the middle of their unit. The fire apparently created so much smoke that the victims most likely died from smoke inhalation.
The family is that was left to grieve for them now has to figure out a way to afford funeral services for five beloved family members.
