news-record.com

HIGH POINT (MCT) — The three siblings injured in a house fire Tuesday morning are refugees from Nepal.

Brothers Bhuwan and Suman Ranapahelee and their sister, Hema, spent 18 years in refugee camps in Nepal before being accepted into a U.S. government resettlement program that brought them to High Point, according to Mark Kadel, affiliate director for World Relief North Carolina's High Point office.

The brothers were spending the night at their sister's 1214 Asheboro St. home when a fire broke out about 2:45 a.m. Tuesday. Both men suffered critical burn and smoke inhalation injuries and were being treated at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center's burn unit, Kadel said. Hema Ranapahelee was not seriously injured and was being treated Tuesday for smoke inhalation at High Point Regional Hospital.

"It's just been a real tragic situation," Kadel said. "They are all legal immigrants who came here to start their lives over after years of persecution. They languished in horrible conditions for 18 years."

High Point Fire Marshal Mike Levins said all three victims, who are in their 20s, were out of the residence when firefighters arrived at the house, which sustained some fire damage but mostly heat and smoke damage. Levins said the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Kadel said it was his understanding the fire was an accident caused by a heater that malfunctioned. One of the men tried to put the blaze out but had to abandon this in order to drag his brother, who was apparently sleeping through the fire, out of the house, he said.

World Relief is the resettlement agency for the siblings, their parents and other family members in the area. Hema Ranapahelee came to High Point in November 2008, while her brothers joined her in the past few months. The family is originally from the south Asian nation of Bhutan but fled to neighboring Nepal to escape a repressive dictatorship about 18 years ago, Kadel said.

"They've all done very well, becoming self-sufficient, learning English," Kadel said. "I know the community has been so wonderful supporting those in need and I hope people will provide any help they can for this family."