 Police say the fire is not thought to be suspicious |
The family of two girls aged seven and 13, who died after a fire broke out after a Halloween party, has described their deaths as a "tragic loss". Seven relatives were rescued from the house on Corporation Road, Weymouth, Dorset, shortly after 3am on Sunday after a neighbour raised the alarm.
Mary Meadows and her niece Laura Meadows died at the scene.
Peter and Jacqueline Meadows, parents of Mary and grandparents of Laura said the girls were "loved by everybody".
 |  Laura and Mary threw everything they could into what they did and they both had a real zest for life  |
Mr Meadows, of Southdown Avenue in Preston, Weymouth, said: "We would like to thank everyone who has helped us during this awful ordeal.
"The many messages of sympathy and support - phone calls, cards and flowers - from friends and the public have also been a great help and we are very grateful for them at this terrible time.
"The deaths of Mary and Laura are a tragic loss for their brothers and sisters - it has been very traumatic.
"Mary was loved by everybody - she was always laughing and jolly. If anyone wanted help, she would give it."
'Very traumatic'
The youngster went to the All Saints Church of England School at Wyke Regis and attended the Sunday School at St Andrew's Church at Southwell on Portland, where she was a helper and a server.
Mr Meadows - a site maintenance engineer for a caravan park in Weymouth - added: "Laura was a very friendly and bubbly little girl who would always help people - she was always helping her brothers and sisters.
"Laura and Mary threw everything they could into what they did and they both had a real zest for life."
After receiving first aid at the scene the three surviving children and two adults were taken to Dorset County Hospital (DCH) in Dorchester.
One of the children, an eight-year-old girl, was later transferred to Southampton General Hospital.
All three children attend the St Andrew's Infant School in Littlemoor Road, Weymouth.
The condition of the other children, a boy and a girl, has improved in DCH and they are now "stable", a police spokesman said.
The man, 27, and woman, 25, are also still receiving treatment and are in a stable condition in hospital.
Dorset Fire and Rescue have not confirmed whether a candle left burning in a pumpkin was the cause of the blaze.
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