New Photos Released in Christmas Day Tragedy

City officials released new photos Wednesday, that showed the devastation after the deadly Christmas day fire in Stamford. The blaze killed three young sisters, Lily, Sarah and Grace Badger, along with their grandparents. 

Investigators said there were no smoke detectors in the home at the time of the fire.
 
The new pictures showed what firefighters dealt with after flames ripped through the Badger home on Shippan Avenue Christmas morning.

The fire ravaged the place, and burned the outside of it right to the frame.  Neighbors still couldn't forget the scene almost a year later.

"It was bad, my neighbor woke me up at 4:15 and I watched the thing for two hours," said Tony Low-Beer.
 
Inside it was even worse. The damage was so extensive it was tough to distinguish between rooms. The bottom level was completely charred, and furniture was almost long existent. 

In the pictures, it was nearly impossible to recognize the kitchen, the counters were destroyed and the refrigerator was mangled.  

Down the way the staircase was burned up, and it was easy to see how the three little girls sleeping upstairs couldn't escape. 

Only Madonna Badger, and her boyfriend made it out alive.

  "Every time I pass there, I look at it and think what a shame, what a disaster and why did this happen?" said Low-Beer.
 
The images from the upper level weren't much better.  The bedrooms were nothing but rubble.  The fire torched the beds, dressers, and even the closets.  The bathrooms were badly damaged too.
 
The garage just a few feet away was untouched.  Pictures showed that was where investigators found the smoke detectors. 

They were taken out of the home while it was being renovated, so the alarms never went off when the fire started.  That's why the family didn't know it was in flames until it was too late.
 
The home on Shippan Avenue doesn't even exist anymore.  It was torn down a few months ago. 
 
Matthew Badger, the father of the little girls who died is suing the city.  He claimed it didn't do enough to make sure smoke alarms worked with children in the home.  On Wednesday he would not comment, and the city wouldn't talk either.
 
Investigators said the cause was accidental.  They told NBC Connecticut embers from a yule log were placed behind the home.  They somehow ignited and flames spread to the home.

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