A beautiful Sunday afternoon was transformed into a blazing inferno for residents of Bonham Village Apartments when a deadly fire suddenly consumed the stairwell at the north end of a 16-apartment complex and then raged through the building.

Brandy Goleman and her two young daughters perished in the fire. 

Bonham Village Apartments is located at 1201 West 10th Street.

On Monday, investigators will begin searching for the cause of the deadly blaze. 

Indications are the fire started in or near the south stairwell of the building around 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 17.

Bonham Fire Department, Dodd City Volunteer Fire Department and Ector Volunteer Department were among the units responding. 

At 4:45 p.m., residents were allowed back into the structure to salvage as much of their belongings as possible.

American Red Cross volunteers were on the scene to provide assistance to firemen and victims of the fire. 

Red Cross directed residents in need of nourishment and temporary housing to Family Life Center where food and cots were waiting. 

photo courtesy of Dana Wenger

photo courtesy of Dana Wenger

photo courtesy of Dana Wenger

photo courtesy of Dana Wenger

photo courtesy of Dana Wenger

The family of Brandy Goleman gathers for a prayer after Brandy and her two young daughters perished in an apartment fire Sunday afternoon.

Witnesses reported seeing this stairwell engulfed in flames before the fire spread to the rest of the apartment complex.

Once the fire was established in the stairwell, it rapidly spread south through the second floor of the 16-apartment complex.