Two sisters from Maryland died in a fire at the vacation house their family was renting in Southampton, New York.
Jillian Wiener, 21, and Lindsay Wiener, 19, of Potomac, were sleeping when a fire broke out in the Hampton house early Wednesday.
The sisters were alumna of Holton-Arms School for Girls in Bethesda, with Jillian graduating in 2019 and Lindsay in 2021.
In a statement, the school said that the sisters “were warm, engaged members of the Holton community who positively impacted both their classes and the larger community.”
Jillian played soccer and ice hockey, was an artist and was passionate about yoga and community service. Her senior project was teaching yoga classes to younger students.
Lindsay was the president of the school’s Community Service Club, and she found “creative ways to encourage student engagement in service” during the pandemic, the school said. She was also president of the Jewish Culture Club, where she worked to teach the community about Jewish religious traditions.
Jillian Wiener was headed into her senior year at the University of Michigan, while Lindsay Wiener was going to be a sophomore at Tulane University.
The sisters and their family were members of the Washington Hebrew Congregation in D.C.
“The world has lost two beautiful lights today, and the Washington Hebrew Congregation community is heartbroken. Through their leadership and service, acts of kindness, and friendship, the Wiener family — Lewis, Alisa, Zach, Jillian, and Lindsay — has touched so many lives at Washington Hebrew,” the temple said in a statement.
Their father, Lewis Wiener, was recently installed as the Washington Hebrew Congregation president.
Lewis Wiener, his wife Alisa and son Zach were also in the home when the fire broke out but managed to escape. They were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, news partner NBC Washington reported.
