TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A Tucson man says he lost his parents in an early morning house fire Thursday on the Southeast side near Golf Links and Kolb.
Gary Clyde Pemberton II returned to his parents’ home on Calle Osito Thursday afternoon to assess the damage. He tried to get back inside to collect belongings, but crews had already boarded up windows and doors earlier in the day.
“I don’t understand why they couldn’t get out in time,” he said during a tearful interview.
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Neighbors tell KGUN they woke up around 3 a.m. to loud booms coming from the house.
Tucson Fire says 30 firefighters then responded, but the house was already engulfed in flames.
“My dad and mom were really good people. And they don’t deserve, they didn’t deserve any of this to happen,” said Pemberton, who shared that his parents were in their 70s. “I love my dad and mom with all my heart. And I just hope they go to heaven. And be in a better place.”
Pemberton says his mom, Helen, was a nurse at TMC, St. Joseph’s and UMC for thirty years, while his dad, Gary Sr., was a Vietnam War veteran.
“Closest person I had, and now he’s gone,” the younger Pemberton said. “I just take care of my dad for the past 30 years, and I just wasn’t here, happened to [not] be here at the time, and all this happened.”
Pemberton and his girlfriend are now parents too. He says his newborn son recently got out of the neonatal ICU. The three of them came to the house for a visit just two days before the fire.
Pemberton says his dog was here in the backyard during the fire and is okay. TFD says the dog was uninjured and picked up by Pima Animal Care.
Representatives from the American Red Cross were on scene, and said they will assist Pemberton through the next several weeks as he deals with the tragedy.
TFD determined the cause of the fire was “undetermined.”
ORIGINAL STORY:
A house fire on the east side left two people dead Thursday morning, according to the Tucson Fire Department.
Firefighters responded to a house fire in the 7000 block of Calle Osito, near North Kolb Road and East Golf Links, at just before 3:30 a.m. Thursday. TFD, Tucson Police, and Animal Protection were on scene as firefighters battled the blaze.
Two individuals were found dead inside, TPD said.
Traffic on Calle Osito was blocked off this morning.
This is a developing story, and we'll bring you more updates as they come in on-air and online.
