Father, 2 sons die after Christmas morning fire in Pennsylvania

A Pennsylvania man and two of his sons died Saturday morning when a fire tore through their home, authorities said.

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Eric King, 41, died in the fire at his Quakertown home along with his sons, Liam King, 11, and Patrick King, 8, the Bucks County Courier Times reported. Two dogs also died in the blaze, the newspaper reported.

Eric King’s wife, Kristen King, and their son, Brady King, were taken to a hospital for evaluation, WPVI-TV reported.

Authorities believe that lights on a Christmas tree started the fire at around 1:20 a.m. EST, Fire Marshal Doug Wilhelm told the Express-Times of Easton.

Quakertown police Chief Scott McElree told KYW-TV that investigators were probing holiday decorations as they sought a cause of the fire.

“We will be continuing to investigate to find out why it ignited, but the evidence is very clear that it started in the Christmas tree. It was a real tree,” McElree told reporters. “It was such a hot fire that most of the content where it started is burnt.”

The impact of the fire spread next door to the two-story home, WPVI reported. That home was also destroyed, but the family of four escaped without injury, according to the television station.

The fire was under control by 2:34 a.m. EST, Wilhelm the Express-Times. Fire crews remained until about 7 a.m., Wilhelm said.

A GoFundMe page had raised more than $310,000 to support the surviving family members.

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