Authorities Reveal Cause Of Triple-Fatal Fire: Report

WAUKESHA, WI — Nearly three months after a fire claimed the lives of three Waukesha residents, fire officials have made public the cause of the fire.

Kevin Duffy, his 14-year-old son Kevin, Jr. and his 12-year-old daughter Kylie died in a fire during the early-morning hours of Feb. 19 at their home on Arcadian Ave. in the Town of Waukesha

On Friday, authorities in Waukesha said that the fire has been classified as “accidental” by fire marshals from the Office of the State Fire Marshal at the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation.

Investigators from the Office of the State Fire Marshal conducted an origin and cause investigation.

The investigation concluded that the fire resulted from unattended cooking and involved the ignition of cooking materials in a skillet on the stove top, which was moved to the kitchen sink.

Public Can Still Help

Visit the Duffy Family Fire GoFundMe page to help the family pay for ongoing expenses.

The family is also asking members of the public to reach out to Jillian Newell, at jillian.newell@gmail.com for information on where to send donations or contributions.

"We ask that you please donate what you can to assist with the funeral and hospital expenses as Casey Duffy and her family will be having to burden these costs. Casey Duffy has severe Chrohn's disease, with countless surgeries and treatments she is unable to work due to her illness and is now a single parent," Newell wrote.

Dad Died While Trying To Save Children

A neighbor on the scene that morning said Kevin Duffy, Sr., died while trying to save two children. "[He] came down with one of the kids and he told the kid to stay here and he ran back up to get the other two kids and he never came back out," said the unidentified neighbor to WTMJ.

When deputies arrived, officials said they valiantly tried saving the lives of those who were trapped inside. According to reports, deputies tried reaching the victims inside, but could not get through the flames. One deputy had to be treated for first-degree burns.

As a result, that deputy was later treated and released from the hospital for first-degree burns. A first-degree burn is described as a burn that affects the top layer of a person's skin. While superficial, medical professionals say these types of burns can be large in size, very painful and require medical attention.