A family in Pennsylvania woke up to a devastating Christmas fire that took the lives of a father and his two young sons. However, the mother and the oldest son, an eighth-grader, survived the horrific accident.
According to a Facebook post from the Quakertown Community School District, Eric King, 41, and his two sons, Liam, 11, and Patrick, eight, who attended the Richland Elementary School, did not make it out of the Christmas house fire alive. The police and firefighters were dispatched before 1:30 a.m. on Christmas day as the house was blazing, and they attempted to rescue the family trapped on the second floor.
However, the firefighters told CNN that the magnitude of the fire was too big and dangerous. It was also progressing towards the entire house so quickly that it was difficult for the emergency responders to safely break through and enter the house.
It Started with the Tree
Preliminary evidence showed that the fire started with the live Christmas tree. However, Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree said they will still determine if the fire broke because the tree was too dry or because its Christmas lights had faulty wiring.
McElree said that the blaze coming from the live tree was "very hot, very quickly," and also impacted the home next to the King family since they live in a twin-style residential structure. The chief said that live, dry trees are a "violent and robust source" of heat, and since the house was also mostly made of wood, the fire was able to move quickly into the rest of the house. The firewall between the houses allowed the neighboring family to escape without any injury.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, firefighters respond to about 160 to 200 Christmas house fires every year due to the live trees. Some 20 percent of these incidents are due to an electrical issue with the Christmas lights.
Fundraiser for the Kings
Following the tragic accident, friends of the couple set up a donation page to help the survivors, Kristin, the mother, and her oldest son, Brady. The two were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
According to Kristin's sister, Colleen Nimnaugh, Liam woke up his mother and Brady and told them to get out of the house. The rest of the family could not get out because the fire was all over by then.
Eric and Kristin King were described as high school sweethearts who were the happiest couple. Their sons belonged to the Quakertown Youth Baseball Association, while the community loved Eric and Kristin.
The father ran a family construction business and was a protective and generous person who loved to give bear hugs to his siblings and in-laws. He was also an active parent coach of the kids' baseball team. Friends of Eric said that they were sure he died protecting his two boys.
