UPDATE: Christmas Tree Fed Mansion Fire that Killed Six

UPDATED at 4:45 p.m.

An electrical problem near a 60-day-old Christmas tree was the source of the inferno that killed six people in an Annapolis mansion, authorities said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference.

Arundel County Fire Chief Alan Graves said the medical examiner in Baltimore has confirmed the six bodies found in the ruins are those of homeowners Don and Sandra Pyle and their four grandchildren.

An electrical failure in the home’s great room ignited material in the area, which quickly spread to the 15-foot tall Christmas tree and furnishings. The sleeping area connected to the great room, blocking an exit for the home’s inhabitants, authorities said.

“Christmas trees, when they’re dry, they burn quickly,” said the fire chief.

The Christmas tree was cut more than 60 days ago, Graves said, and the fuel as it burned provided heat and a rapid spread of the blaze. He would not discuss where the bodies were found, if there was evidence that the Pyles tried to put out the fire or reach their grandchildren.

“Our collective hearts break for the tragedy you have to bear,” Graves said to the surviving family members.

Special agent in charge Bill McMullin with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said, “This fire was the result of a tragic accident that happened at the absolute worst time, when the Pyles and their grandkids were sleeping.”

County Executive Steve Schuh thanked all of the public safety partners for their around-the-clock work on the “unspeakable tragedy.”

He added: “The thoughts and prayers of an entire county go out to the families of the Pyles and the Severn School community. I’d like the families to know we stand with them united as they work through their grief.

Patch’s Original Report:

The massive blaze that killed an Annapolis couple and their four grandchildren may have been started by the family’s Christmas tree, reports say.

Anne Arundel County Fire Department officials will release the findings of their investigation at a news conference scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday.

NBC 4 Washington reports the preliminary investigation shows the fire was an accident that may have begun in a 15-foot tall Christmas tree in the family’s great room.

Relatives of Donald and Sandra Pyle said the couple and their four grandchildren died Jan. 19 when their home in the 900 block of Childs Point Road was consumed in a four-alarm blaze.

The body of the sixth and final family member who perished in the fire at a $4.2 million Annapolis mansion that was destroyed by fire was found by searchers on Monday.

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department announced then that all occupants of the house, which was destroyed in the inferno, are believed to be accounted for.

Work focused on the investigation into the fire and its cause at the site on Tuesday and Wednesday. Local authorities have been assisted by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the case.

On Jan. 21 searchers found two bodies in the charred remains of the house; two more victims were found on Jan. 22; and a fifth victim was found on Jan. 23.

Children Perish After Weekend with Grandparents

The Washington Post reports the home is owned by Reston IT exec Donald Pyle and his wife, Sandra Pyle. Donald Pyle is chief operating officer at ScienceLogic, according to the Post, an information technology company that monitors networks for private and government clients.

WBAL TV reports the missing children were identified by a family representative as Alexis Boone, 8; Kaitlyn Boone, 7; Charlotte Boone, 8; and Wesley Boone, 6. The Boone children are the grandchildren of Sandra Pyle and the step-grandchildren of Don Pyle.

The kids had Jan. 19 off from school because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, so they spent Jan. 18 with their grandparents and stayed overnight. The Capital-Gazettereports Sandra Pyle bought costumes the youngsters wore to dinner at Medieval Times at Arundel Mills mall in Hanover. The group then went to the Pyles’ castle, as neighbors had dubbed the 16,000-square-foot house.

Kaitlyn and sister Alexis are the children of Randy and Stacey Boone, who also have a month-old son. The girls’ cousins, Wes and Charlotte, are the children of Clint and Eve Boone, the newspaper says.

Capt. Russ Davies, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, said previously on the department’s Facebook page that the bodies would all be taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for autopsy and identification.

“This remains a complex scene and much work remains to be done,” the fire department said.

Message from Grieving Family

A statement from the Boone and Pyle families thanked emergency workers for their efforts, and the community for its condolences.

“On behalf of the Boone and Pyle families, we wish to express our gratitude and appreciation for the love and support being shared with us during this tragic event. We are blessed that so many family, friends and neighbors have come together for us in our time of need,” the statement said reports WBAL.

“Our love for our family is boundless. Our loss demands time and quiet reflection to process these feelings. We ask that you respect our need for privacy,” the statement says. “Life is fragile. Make time today to embrace your loved ones.”

Intense flames kept firefighters out of the house to search for victims Jan. 19, as floors and ceilings collapsed. The search for victims began Jan. 21 once water was pumped out of the home’s basement and the skeletal structure was stabilized.

»Fire scene photos from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department’s Facebook page; family members photos via screenshots from WBAL TV

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