CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill. – A Cahokia Heights family is grieving after a house fire killed two 4-year-old children in Illinois. Fire officials said it happened around 2 p.m. Friday off St. Gregory Drive.

A memorial grew in front of the home on Sunday as the family continued to work through the unimaginable. The children’s grandfather, Rick Metcalf, along with other family members, arrived at the home to honor their loved ones and face their nightmare head-on.

“We’ve lost something that we will never gain back. This will never heal,” Metcalf said.

The fire killed two of Metcalf’s grandchildren, 4-year-olds Chad Metcalf and Sharli Edmonds. Their mother—Metcalf’s daughter, Crystal Bates—was able to make it out with one of her other children. Metcalf shared his daughter’s description of her experience as the tragedy unfolded on Friday.

“The babies were napping. She was scrubbing the house. The fire alarms went off. She opened the doors, and the devil himself, Satan, was there. She fought,” he said.

Metcalf said his daughter is a full-time working mother who lives for her children. He said she is absolutely devastated, and they are doing everything to support her and her three living children at this time.

“This is a very broken family with big hearts. We love our family, and we love our daughter. Our daughter loves everybody and loves her kids more than anything in the world. She’d give up anything for her kids,” Metcalf said.

Neighbors and those who know this young family came by the Cahokia Heights home Sunday to pay their respects. Cherri White and her children contributed to a memorial that consists of flowers, teddy bears and other kind gestures.

“We watched these babies go up and down this street every day,” White said. “And to see something like that, that could have been one of our houses.”

White’s young son, Jerrell, expressed his condolences.

“I wanted to put down teddy bears for the babies,” he said. “Bless them.”

Jasemine Calloway said her son goes to school with one of the victims’ older siblings. They felt it was important, so they stopped by the home to show their support.

“It’s really a tragedy. especially two little kids that haven’t experienced life yet,” Calloway said.

Metcalf called the support, and his grandchildren, a blessing.

“They were beautiful, and I’m going to miss them for the rest of my life,” Metcalf said.

Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.

The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses.