The house sat on a remote patch of farmland on a dirt lane in the northernmost reaches of rural Potter County.
But the unimaginable tragedy that unfolded there early Monday morning — the loss of five teens in a fire that also sent two adults to the hospital — sent shock waves reverberating well beyond Genesee Township.
The house on Slingerland Road where Charles and Michele Erway lived with their three sons was reduced to smoldering ruins, and the deep sense of loss was felt in communities on both sides of the New York-Pennsylvania border.
The Erway boys, Raymond, 17, Tristan, 16, and Evan, 14, were students in the Northern Potter School District. They were active in 4-H and the Allegany County, New York and Potter County fairs.
Krysta Kane, 16, was a student in the Scio Central School District, and Mikalah Roulo, 16, was a sophomore at the Wellsville Secondary School.
More:UPDATE: 5 teens killed in northern Pennsylvania blaze identified, 2 adults hospitalized
Social media was abuzz with support for families of the victims Tuesday, as local schools did their best to try to help students understand the impact of the tragedy.
I encourage parents and guardians to talk with their children about this tragic event,” Northern Potter School District Superintendent Nathan Jones said in a message to the community.”Discussing thoughts and feelings about this situation is important to helping your child to work through this grief.