QUAKERTOWN, Pa. (CBS) — A Christmas turned tragic in Bucks County. A father and two sons have died after their house caught fire overnight in Quakertown, police said Saturday morning.
Firefighters were called to the scene on the first block of Essex Court around 1:30 a.m. Saturday. The home is a twin home, and both homes caught on fire. Essex Court is a cul de sac off of East Broad Street.
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Police say the three people who died in the fire are a 41-year-old father and his two sons — believed to be 11 and 8 years old, respectively. The other two victims, police say, are a mother and another son, a 13-year-old. They were rushed to the hospital and treated for burns and smoke inhalation.
The Quakertown School District Community identified the father as Eric King and the two sons as Liam, a fifth grader, and Patrick, a third grader. The mom, Kristin, and son Brady, an eighth grader, survived.
(Credit: CBS3)
“This news is devastating for the District community and the Quakertown area at large. Eric and Kristin are very active in the community, and the kind of people who make this a special place to live and attend school. The School District sends its heartfelt sympathy to the King family and their many friends and relatives,” the school district wrote in a statement on Facebook.
Residents of the second home were able to get out OK, according to police.
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The official cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Quakertown police believe it’s possible a Christmas tree caused the blaze.
“Right now, it’s our understanding that we’re looking at the Christmas tree that may have ignited as a result of Christmas lights on that Christmas tree,” said Scott McElree, Quakertown’s chief of police.
The fire was placed under control overnight.
The state fire marshal was also on scene and will make the final determination on the cause of the fire.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help the King family. It has raised $240,801 as of 6 p.m. Saturday.
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CBS3’s Howard Monroe contributed to this report.
Source Article from https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2021/12/25/father-two-sons-dead-christmas-tree-fire-quakertown-police/
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