Two teens perish in Fredericksburg fire

FREDERICKSBURG, Texas (KXAN) - Two teenagers died early Tuesday when fire swept through their home in Fredericksburg. Their father was badly burned in a frantic effort to save their lives.

Brian Cantu, 15, and Justine Cantu, 13, perished in the fire at 623 Deer View in Fredericksburg .

Fire crews said when they arrived around 4:30 a.m., they found the home of Armando Cantu engulfed in flames and family members fleeing from the intense heat.

Brian and Justine were trapped in the home and were not able to be rescued. Their mother and three siblings managed to escape from the home with only minor injuries, officials said.

Armando Cantu, who works for a landscaping company, suffered burns to more than 40 percent of his body trying to save his family and had to be airlifted to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for treatment.

"I know a lot of the family," said Gillespie County Sheriff Buddy Mills "It's a big family. Thank goodness there's a lot of support from the community, the county, and their church so they are going to be taken care of, we'll see to that."

A neighbor said her heart goes out for the family, who has lived in the home for 20 years.

"Justine, the youngest one was just loveable girl, can't say anything wrong about her," said Sylvia Contser. "Brian was a big, tough kid, we loved him (deeply). We know where they are today, we serve an awesome God and we know where they are."

The cause of the fire has not been determined and remained under investigation Tuesday morning.

Deputies from the Gillespie County Sheriff's Office, officers from the Fredericksburg Police Department, fire crews from the Fredericksburg Volunteer Fire Department and the Texas State Fire Marshal Service responded to the blaze.