A Pennsylvania father and his two young sons died in a house fire on Christmas Day, likely caused by a dangerous combination of electrical issues and a dried-up Christmas tree.
Quakertown, Pennsylvania, Fire Marshal Doug Wilhelm told CNN, “The area of origin was a Christmas tree, so we’re not sure if it’s because of electric or a dried-up old Christmas tree.”
Wilhelm said emergency crews were dispatched to the home at 1:22 a.m., where all five family members were asleep on the home’s second floor when the fire broke out. First responders made several attempts to get into the house when they arrived, but they had a difficult time getting in due to the size of the blaze.
“It was too dangerous to get inside on the front side of the building with the fire,” Wilhelm told the news outlet. “The front door and front window were blocked; fire was advancing to the entire home at that point. It was very difficult for firefighters to make a safe entry. It took a while.”
When firefighters finally got inside, they found the bodies of the 41-year-old father, identified as Eric King, and his two school-aged sons (who were not identified). The mother and the family’s eldest son escaped with minor burns and were treated for injuries at a nearby hospital.
