By Steve Metsch
The Chicago Sun-Times
HICKORY HILLS, Ill. — Ayoob Saleh, 5, and Raed Saleh, 3, were fun-loving boys who were “always smiling,” a relative said Wednesday.
“They were happy kids. They were normal kids, playing a lot, moving [around] a lot. They are a good family, too. Something just happened,” Mohammad Ali said.
The boys died after a fire swept through the Saleh family’s home in the 8900 block of Emerald Court in Hickory Hills, family members and authorities said.
“It’s tragic, tragic. I don’t know how they’re going to get through this,” Ali said of the boys’ parents, Omar and Munera Saleh.
Ali, of Bridgeview, said his late sister once was married to the boys’ father, Omar Saleh.
Omar and Munera Saleh have five children, Ali said.
Ayoob and Raed were found unresponsive in an upstairs bedroom, Roberts Park Fire Protection District Chief Jeff Ketchen said.
Ketchen said it was too early to determine a cause, but it appeared the fire started in a downstairs recreation room. The state fire marshal’s office is investigating.
Services are pending, Ali said.
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