An Ohio woman and three of her grandchildren died in a house fire that erupted early Friday morning.

According to 911 calls obtained by NBC News, the blaze was reported in Fayette County, which is south of Columbus, around 4 a.m.

The victims were identified as 60-year-old Terry Harris and her three grandsons: 14-year-old Kenyon, 11-year-old Broderick and 9-year-old Braylon Harris.

Harris lived alone in the single-story, ranch-style house, while the boys lived two houses down with their parents. Tragically, the three boys decided to spend the night with their grandmother so she would not have to be alone on Christmas, authorities said.

"They didn't want their grandma to be by herself on Christmas night; that's why they spent the night there," Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth said, reports the Associated Press. "The children just adored their grandmother."

"Grandma was close to the front door. The other children were behind her, and so we're just assuming that she was by the front door – that she was trying to corral the children to help them get out," Sheriff Stanforth told NBC affliate WCMH.

"To lose three children and a grandparent, it's devastating to the family," Stanforth said. "The fact that it's the holidays makes it even worse for the community."

He added that he had known the family for years and that their oldest son was a wrestler.

"They're a very close-knit family," he said. "They were good boys."

"We've had tragic fires, but this is unfortunately for this time the most tragic we have to deal with it. It's a very sad event," said Stanforth.

State Fire Marshal's spokesman William Krugh said state investigators are working to determine the cause of the blaze.

According to reports, firefighters have yet to find smoke detectors at the house.