Mom Remembers 'Happy Fun Kids' Killed In Annapolis Mansion Fire

ANNAPOLIS, MD — At times her voice quavered and at times Eve Boone smiled as she shared memories of her "beautiful, happy, fun kids," Charlotte and Wesley, who died three years ago in their grandparents' home. A 15-foot-tall tinder-dry Christmas tree torched the Annapolis mansion and killed residents Don and Sandra Pyle, along with four of their grandchildren: Alexis Boone, 8; Kaitlyn Boone, 7; Charlotte Boone, 8; and Wesley Boone, 6.

The tree was scheduled to be removed the day after the fire, but it fueled a blaze on Jan. 19, 2015, that killed the sleeping family. Investigators say they were trapped by smoke and flames when an electrical fire spread to the tree in the $4.2 million mansion in the 900 block of Childs Point Road. Fire investigators agree the fire started under or near the tree in the house's great room and spread in less than a minute to the second floor, where all the victims were sleeping. The medical examiner ruled the family members died of smoke inhalation and burns in the accidental blaze.

The loss of six family members rocked the entire state. On Friday the Maryland State Fire Marshal tweeted about the somber anniversary. "This loss is still painful for me @AACoFD the community & our state. Our thoughts and prayers are always with the family," the message said.

Eve Boone spoke for the first time to NBC Washington this week about the tragedy that took Charlotte and Wesley. She urged viewers to install sprinklers in new homes, and to take down Christmas trees in a timely manner; she will never have a tree again.

"This didn’t have to happen, and it doesn’t have to happen," Boone told NBC. "So, if I can ever stop even one person from going through something like this, it’s worth it."

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To cope with her children's deaths, Boone said she tries to honor their spirit. Charlotte loved animals and rode horses, so Eve began riding. She celebrated Wesley’s birthday by skydiving, an adventure that would have amazed her son, she says.

Lack of Fire Sprinklers Spurs Activism

Don Pyle's sister, Sher Grogg, joined Common Voices, a group of advocates, burn survivors and others who have lost family members in fires. The group educates people on the importance of home fire sprinklers; her brother's spacious house didn't have them.

"The world is a much darker place without the light from my brother, sister-in-law, and their four beautiful grandchildren," Grogg said in a video recorded for the 2016 holiday season.

It's likely that within three minutes of the fire's start, temperatures had climbed so high that it caused a "flashover," when heat ignites everything combustible in a room, she said. "No one survives flashover. It can happen in fewer than three minutes. Under three minutes from the time of ignition, this gives no one a chance to escape," Grogg said.

The 11-year-old house had working smoke alarms, but didn't have sprinklers; residential building codes didn't require them. Her message urges builders to include sprinklers in new homes.

A 43-page report released by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Anne Arundel County Fire Department says the fire started under or near the tree in the house's great room, likely when a light plug melted, and spread in less than a minute to the second floor, where all the victims were sleeping. It was ruled an accident.

Firefighters described the fire in the home's foyer as a "kiln" and were unable to enter the house because of the intense heat and flames. About five minutes after arriving at the house, the front door was completely consumed by fire, the great room was engulfed in fire and the roof was starting to collapse, the report says.

The home was owned by Reston IT exec Donald Pyle and his wife, Sandra Pyle; Donald Pyle was chief operating officer at ScienceLogic. The Boone children are the grandchildren of Sandra Pyle and the step-grandchildren of Don Pyle.

»Fire scene photos from the Anne Arundel County Fire Department's Facebook page; family members photos via screenshot from YouTube video by Common Voices