Two elderly sisters have died in a Hollywood house fire caused by an arsonist, after one bravely rushed back inside to try to save the other.
Maria 'Chelo' Vazquez, 76, narrowly escaped the burning home, but returned for her sister Yolanda 'Yola' Honda, 82, the family said in a GoFundMe.
That moment of sisterly devotion would cost Vazquez her life. Firefighters found her deceased at the property on Vista Del Mar Avenue in the early hours of February 4.
Meanwhile, Honda was taken to the hospital, where she suffered a fatal heart attack, her devastated family said.
In the midst of the chaos, Vazquez's dog Coco may have escaped the home, and the family is still looking for the pet who they said was her 'constant companion.'
'Finding her would mean holding on to a living piece of what was lost,' the family wrote in the fundraiser, which has garnered more than $14,000 of its $150,000 goal.
Honda had recently moved into her sister's Los Angeles home to be her caretaker while she recovered from an emergency hip surgery after falling at the supermarket.
The family is reeling after losing the two women, the dog, and their family property, as the house had been shared by seven siblings across two generations.
Maria 'Chelo' Vazquez, 76, narrowly escaped the burning home, but rushed back inside for her sister Yolanda 'Yola' Honda, 82, the family said in a GoFundMe
Honda had recently moved in with Vazquez to be her caretaker after her sister had emergency hip surgery. Their house is suspected to have been set on fire by an arsonist
Photographs show their house was reduced to a blackened shell, with the interior completely obliterated by the inferno.
'This home was not just a house,' the family wrote.
'It was the heart of our family and the realization of the American dream for a young family that migrated from Mexico decades ago.'
'It was a sanctuary where multiple generations gathered to celebrate.
'It was a central and safe place for everyone to retreat to whenever they need it.
'Today, that legacy of love and sacrifice has been reduced to ashes.'
More than 40 firefighters attended to the massive blaze at around 3am.
Crews battled large flames visible from outside the home before they could enter the structure and attempt to save the women.
The family is also hoping to find Vazquez's dog Coco, who hasn't been found since the fire
Vazquez was pronounced dead at the scene by firefighters. Crews were able to get Honda out of the home in 'grave condition,' but she died from a heart attack at the hospital
The family, including their nephew (pictured with them), is reeling after the loss of the two sisters last week. They launched a fundraiser to try to recover the costs of losing their home
During the primary search, they found Vazquez's body and managed to get Honda out of the home and take her to the hospital in 'grave condition,' the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said.
LAFD crews extinguished the fire in less than 20 minutes, but it was too late for the sisters. No firefighters were injured.
An unidentified suspect was arrested a day later on suspicion of arson after several trash fires were lit around the area the same night.
The LAFD has not given an update on the suspect.
The Daily Mail has reached out to the agency, along with local police, for comment.