Investigators Continue Work to Determine Cause of Fatal Enfield Fire

Connecticut State Police detectives from the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigative Unit are continuing their investigation into the cause of the house fire that killed four Enfield residents Dec. 10.

Investigators are working with the Thompsonville Fire Marshal and Enfield Police Department to determine the cause and origin of the fire in the duplex at 68 S. River St. All of the victims were residents of the duplex that erupted into a fireball about 6:15 a.m. Dec. 10.

In an announcement Tuesday, state Police said the Office of the Chief State’s Medical Examiner has conducted the post mortem examinations of the four victims and have positively identified all of them.

The medical examiner ruled that Orise Handfield, 59, and Cathy Armes, 36, both died of smoke inhalation.

The identities of the two other victims were confirmed as Joshua Johnson, 20, and David J. Cygan, 19. The causes of their deaths were not immediately available Tuesday.

The four victims were among nine people who lived in the building. Richard Johnson, 21, and his mother, Laurie Patnode, 36, survived the blaze. Other residents of the duplex who escaped were Mary LaPane and her sons, Andrew, 19, and Jack, 12.

Related stories:

• For Enfield Fire Victim, ‘It Was All About Family’
• Enfield Rallies to Help Fire Survivors
• Update: Four Dead Following Enfield House Fire

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