GRANITE CITY, Ill. — Less than a week before Christmas, 25-year-old Joseph Calame Jr. is living his worst holiday season.
"(It's) really hard for me, my sister and my other brother. You know we loved our father," he said.
They're now mourning their dad, Joseph Calame Sr.
"It's kind of hard for me because I was the last one to see him alive," added Calame's son.
On Thursday afternoon, a fire swept across an upper floor apartment in a building near East 23rd and Kate streets in Granite City.
Investigators said many of the building's tenants ran for their lives—13 adults and two children got out safely.
But Calame, 45, his 46-year-old girlfriend, Kimberly Wyatt and their neighbor, Kyle Francis, 35, died.
The elder Calame had four children.
His son said he, his dad and Wyatt had only lived in their third floor apartment for two days.
"It was really scary," recalled the son.
Four others were hurt.
When the flames kept spreading, the younger Calame fell out of a window and bruised his back.
"Physically, I'm doing all right. I'm just trying to recover emotionally. I'm still grieving," he said.
"We thank God that he is still with us. It was very traumatic for him," said Melissa Neely, the son's aunt.
Francis, a lifelong resident of Granite City, worked at a local warehouse. He also lived at the building with the Calame family.
Judy Beyersdofer said her nephew's tragic death has devastated their family, especially Francis' mom, who lives in Florida.
"My heart is broken. My sister's heart is broken. He was her only child," said Beyersdofer.
"Not having my dad around, it's gonna be hard on me. But as long as he's still in my heart, I know he's with me," said Calame.
The American Red Cross is helping the families with food and temporary shelter.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.