Questions have swirled for years about the cause of a fire on Christmas Day in Stamford in 2011 that killed three children and their grandparents. Newly released court documents of depositions in a civil suit filed by Matthew Badger, the childrens’ father, call into question whether the house was demolished too soon.
Nine-year-old Lilly Badger, 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah, and their grandparents, Lomer and Pauline Johnson, were killed in the fire at the Shippan Avenue home, which was under renovation.
The girls’ mother, Madonna Badger, and Madonna’s former boyfriend, Michael Borcina -- the main contractor who was working on the home – were the only two survivors.
The city of Stamford stands by its determination that hot fireplace ashes left in the mudroom of the home caused the blaze, but Madonna Badger and Borcina say the fire was electrical.
Now, the recently filed lawsuit depositions reveal new information that could support that.
“I mean it's so obvious that it started in the basement and that it was an electrical fire,” Madonna Badger said in an exclusive interview with NBC Connecticut in February 2016. “I want to really understand what happened in that house and what really caused that fire and, you know, I want to know. I want to know the truth.”
Borcina insists he felt the ashes and they were cool, contradicting the city’s theory that fireplace ashes in the mudroom sparked the fire. In his deposition, he says he saw shooting sparks – about 20, 30 feet coming from the back of the home.
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In Stamford Chief Fire Marshal Barry Callahan’s deposition, he was asked if he agreed “it was a mistake for the City of Stamford to cart off and destroy the evidence related to the fire.” Callahan said, “It shouldn’t have been carted off until it was available,” referring that availability to Madonna and Matthew Badger and others. Callahan agreed it was a “spoliation of evidence.”
A second fire marshal admitted in his deposition that “other examinations may have brought a different result” – referring to the cause of the fire.
Matthew Badger’s attorney, Jon Whitcomb, said in a statement to NBC Connecticut, which reads in part:
“It takes colossal nerve for the city to attempt to dismiss this case when it knew of the construction project, permitted it, failed to shut it down, knew the Badgers were living there, and then… after the fire, when the city knew it was responsible for the deaths of the little girls, conspired to conceal its responsibility, and destroyed the main evidence in this case… the Badger house and its contents.”
He furthermore states: “It certainly begs the question as to what the city was trying to hide.”
NBC Connecticut reached out to the city of Stamford. City spokesperson, Elizabeth Carlson, said in the city does not comment on pending litigation.
NBC Connecticut also reached out to Madonna Badger and attorneys for Michael Borcina, but did not immediately hear back.
Borcina settled his part of the civil suit with Matthew Badger. The case against the city moves forward. Jury selection could begin in April.
