Harlingen, Texas — A devastating mobile home fire struck the 500 block of Emerald Drive on the night of Sunday, August 10 (around 11:34 p.m.), claiming the lives of two young sisters in what the community is calling an unbearable loss.

The victims, 11-year-old Alexia and 13-year-old Yulissa, were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Harlingen Assistant Fire Chief Ruben Balboa. Their mother, Laura Gonzalez, managed to escape with her three other children, but tragically, the blaze engulfed the mobile home so rapidly that she could not save her daughters—or the phone containing countless cherished memories of them.

A neighbor, Sandra Garza, who rushed to help, described the heartbreaking scene:

“We tried kicking the door open and the flames came out… The oldest sister was yelling, ‘please take my sisters out, please please,’ and that’s why we ran that way.”

The girls were found in the back of the mobile home, in what appeared to be a bathroom, per the justice of the peace handling the case.

Community Response & Support

• Financial aid and immediate relief: The Harlingen Professional Firefighters Association, collaborating with the American Red Cross, has stepped in to provide the family with a $1,000 H-E-B gift card and covered a hotel room during this crisis.

• Online fundraiser for funeral arrangements: A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family with funeral expenses and related costs.

• Support from schools: Harlingen CISD has expressed deep sorrow over the loss and has mobilized a team of counselors to assist students and staff at the affected campuses, starting Monday.

What’s Still Unknown

• The cause of the fire remains under active investigation; no definite determination has been made.

Summary & Next Steps

On Sunday night, August 10, a mobile home fire in Harlingen tragically took the lives of Alexia (11) and Yulissa (13), who were unable to escape the blaze that engulfed their home within minutes. Their mother escaped with her three other children but was unable to retrieve her daughters or the treasured memories stored on her phone.

In the face of this heartbreak, neighbors, firefighters, charitable organizations, and the local school district have come together in compassionate support—providing immediate aid, counseling, and resources to assist the grieving family.