Entertainment Tonight or Hard Copy- one of those type of shows- they said it was because the children thought that Santa wouldn't be able to come down the chimney if there were hot ashes in the fireplace, so that's why they were taken out. I don't know that it is true, but that's how they reported it.

I also think this is a tragedy. I heard that the grandfather, who was 71 years old, was found on the roof. He had been desperately trying to save the children. What a tragic way to go. It would have been some small solace if these people had died from smoke inhalation, in their sleep, so that it might have been quick and peaceful. To die in a fire sounds so horrible to me.

Anonymous wrote:We just moved into a house in DC with a fireplace. We came from a house in California with a faux fireplace which you turned on with a switch. Once we got here it was pretty clear the owner's before us never used the fireplace. My husband was so excited to use it but I just haven't felt comfortable with it -- now I never will. Horrible story.

GET THE CHIMNEY CLEANED!!!!

Boyfriends and girlfriends are often not as invested emotionally in the children of those they're dating as the parents would like to think.

Anonymous wrote:Agreed that several bad choices were made that culminated in this tragic end. It bothers me that only 3 days after this horrific incident which he is primarily responsible for, he says he and Madonna will be fine. There is no way that she will be fine. Maybe he'll be fine but she will be haunted by this the rest of her days. I just hope she will find some peace and know that her children wouldn't want her to suffer the rest of her days.

I had the same reaction. I thought this was a very odd, senseless comment.

Maybe they needed a place to stay after she split with her husband. Of course they probably could have afforded a rental or a hotel rooms.

She bought the house for 1.8 mil. She could certainly have waited to move in. If her contractor was licensed and not her BF, they would not have allowed her to move in until the house had a certificate of occupancy due to liability issues.

Oh FFS. I renovated every house I've ever lived in. While I was living there...children live in worse conditions on a daily basis and what was I supposed to do? I wouldn't have purchased an 85 year old house without working heat, plumbing or electricity if I actually had any money in the first place!

Anonymous wrote:I know I'll be flamed fr this, but I think the mother and BF should be prosecuted for being criminally negligent. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. BUT they were occupying a house without a permit for occupancy and the smoke detectors were not activated. I think that's reckless endangerment of those poor children. I hope she and he rot in hell.

ITA. As someone who went through a gut renovation of a 100+ yr old house. You move out until the building gets the certificate of occupancy and is deemed safe to live in especially if there are children. Between the dust, lead paint, asbestos, etc and non-working fire alarms and being a construction site, not worth the risk.

That poor woman... She's suffering enough w/o being prosecuted.

I read that the BF's company was doing the renovations and they were not licensed in CT.

So stupid and so sad.

I know I'll be flamed fr this, but I think the mother and BF should be prosecuted for being criminally negligent. Yes, everyone makes mistakes. BUT they were occupying a house without a permit for occupancy and the smoke detectors were not activated. I think that's reckless endangerment of those poor children. I hope she and he rot in hell.

How would she ever forgive this guy who's stupidity killed her three children and her parents! And then he led two kids away from the area where the firemen were looking for them, only to let them run away from him when he made it out.
Awful, just terrible, everything went wrong.

Maybe he and Madonna are kaput.

Agreed that several bad choices were made that culminated in this tragic end. It bothers me that only 3 days after this horrific incident which he is primarily responsible for, he says he and Madonna will be fine. There is no way that she will be fine. Maybe he'll be fine but she will be haunted by this the rest of her days. I just hope she will find some peace and know that her children wouldn't want her to suffer the rest of her days.

Agreed. It truly haunts me as well.

Ummm. If you heat with wood, or actually use your fireplace, you move potentially hot ashes all the time.

Into a heavy metal, lidded bucket---not plastic, or a paper bag, or into the trash can---and set the ASHCAN outside until you dump it into the compost or someplace else not easily burned. Usually the next day.

It wasn't the act of moving ashes. It was the sheer stupidity of using a plastic bucket and leaving them inside.