Dozens attended the fourth funeral for the Vang family mourning the loss of four children in a fire that started at their home nearly three months ago in St. Paul. 

Five-year-old Siv Ntsiab Vang’s smile beamed in photos with her siblings and parents. 

Siv Ntsiab, along with three siblings, lost their lives after a fire broke out on the morning of January 3rd. Officials say an unattended candle was to blame. The fire hospitalized six children and their mother. Their father, Pa Cheng Vang, was at work during the time of the fire. 

During Saturday’s funeral service, Mayor Melvin Carter embraced the father of six and shared stories about meeting Pa Cheng’s children before the tragedy.

“They were so vibrant, so active, so mobile, so full of life,” Carter recalled. 

St. Paul Fire Chief Butch Inks also took a moment to honor the little girl. He said the fire department will never forget what they saw.

“We’re doubling down on the education doubling down on helping others learn how to make their homes safe,” said Inks. “Doubling down on to teach others how to have an escape plan and practice that escape plan and be proficient at it so so we never have to do this again.”

Nearly three months after the devastation, Pa Cheng says his wife is finally making small movements and is in stable condition. His three-year-old daughter has recovered from her injuries and his six-year-old son is learning to walk and talk again. 

As loved ones say goodbye to five-year-old Siv Ntsiab, they say it’s the community that gives them strength to move forward.

“We, the Vang family would like to express our deepest gratitude from the bottom of our hearts to say thank you,” said Tongai Vang, a spokesperson for the family. 

The family has since closed out their GoFundMe, which has raised more than half a million dollars. 

So far this year, the city of St. Paul has had seven fatalities, marking it the highest fire-related death toll the city has seen in decades.