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December 27, 2011

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Ad executive's family die in holiday fire

A FIRE tore through the home of an advertising executive in an exclusive neighborhood along the Connecticut shoreline in the United States on Sunday, killing her three children and her parents on Christmas morning.

Madonna Badger, who bought the large Victorian home last year, was able to get out of the house, along with an acquaintance.

Police Sergeant Paul Guzda said Badger's three daughters - a 10-year-old and 7-year-old twins - were killed. He said her parents, who were visiting for the holiday, also died.

Police drove Badger's husband, Matthew Badger, from New York City to Stamford on Sunday morning.

Guzda said the male acquaintance was a contractor doing work on the home. Badger, an ad executive in the fashion industry, is the founder of Badger & Winters Group. A supervisor at Stamford Hospital said she was treated and discharged.

Neighbors awakened to the sound of screaming and rushed outside to help, but could only watch as flames devoured the grand home and the survivors were led away.

"It is a terrible, terrible day," Mayor Michael Pavia told reporters. "There probably has not been a worse Christmas day in the city of Stamford."

The fire was reported shortly before 5am. Firefighters were able to rescue Badger and another adult from the house in Shippan Point, Acting Fire Chief Antonio Conte said.

"We had our hands full from the moment we arrived on the scene," he said.

Firefighters knew there were other people in the home but could not get to them because the flames were too large and the heat too intense, Conte said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"It's never easy. That's for sure," Conte said. "I've been on this job 38 years ... not an easy day."

Conte said fire officials don't yet know the cause of the blaze and likely won't get clues for a few days until fire marshals can enter the structure.

By Sunday evening, the roof of the blackened house had largely collapsed. A spokesman for Stamford Hospital said one of the survivors was listed in fair condition; he did not know the condition of the other.

Charles Mangano, who lives nearby, said his wife alerted him to the fire.

He told the The Advocate of Stamford newspaper he saw a man and woman being taken out of the house.

The woman said, "My whole life is in there," Mangano said.

 

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