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Each year, house fires devastate many families in Philadelphia and surrounding areas. Not only can a house fire take away all of a person’s belongings, it can also leave a person dead or with a serious burn injury.
On Christmas morning, a tragic house fire in Stamford, Connecticut, left five people dead, including three children. The fire occurred at the home of a well known advertising executive, who was able to escape the flames along with a male friend of the family.
Unfortunately, the ad executive’s 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old twin daughters were killed in the fire, along with her parents, who were visiting for the holiday. The grandfather had reportedly just fulfilled a lifelong dream of being a professional Santa Claus the day before on Christmas Eve.
When firefighters arrived at the scene around 5 a.m., they found the home engulfed in flames that were too powerful and hot to enter. Four firefighters were reportedly injured while fighting the blaze, including a captain who suffered second-degree burns to the face.
The city mayor reported that the cause of the fire was “fireplace-related,” but did not go into any more detail, other than saying it was a “tragic accident” and foul play had been ruled out.
The waterfront Victorian-style home was built in 1895 according to reports, and was under construction at the time of the fire. It is unknown if the home had smoke detectors, but they are not required under state law for single-family homes built before 1976.
Depending on the results of an investigation, it is possible that personal injury lawsuits could follow this tragic incident. At the very least, it should remind homeowners to make sure their fire alarms are in working condition.
Source: The New York Times, “Fatal Fire in Connecticut Linked to Fireplace, Mayor Says,” Sarah Maslin, Dec. 27, 2011