‘It’s heartbreaking’: Accused arsonist’s childhood friend reacts after Chesterfield house fire leaves 2 sisters dead

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Yellow flowers sitting outside of a Chesterfield County home serve as a memorial for 78-year-old Hazel Johnson and 75-year-old Evelyn Newman, two sisters who died in a house fire over the weekend.

"Miss Evelyn … it’s like that sweet little grandma story," said Savannah Olah, a former neighbor. "She really was one of the sweetest women we knew."

Chesterfield fire crews said they were called to the Rosegill Road home around 4:20 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11. They found the house engulfed in flames.

Officials say both women were rescued from the home, but they later died at a local hospital.

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"As somebody too who just lost my grandma this year… knowing that somebody was lost at the hands of someone else -- it just kind of gets you," Olah said. "It was just a lot of emotions at once: sadness, anger…"

Olah said it's a mix of emotions for her. Not only did she grow up next door to Evelyn, she said she also once considered 25-year-old Alicia Newman -- Evelyn’s granddaughter and the woman accused of intentionally setting the house on fire -- a friend.

"She had your back, like she was such a good friend … the Alicia I remember was a very good person, she was great," Olah said. "It’s heartbreaking, the fact that Alicia is the suspect … it never would have crossed my mind that she could have done this."

Authorities said Alicia Newman is facing arson charges. She is currently being held without bond, with her next court date scheduled for Dec. 2.