Share this @internewscast.com

The father and his wife, who survived, were “the happiest people you will have ever met”

Three members of a Pennsylvania family died early Christmas morning after their Christmas tree reportedly caught fire, the Bucks County Courier Times reports.

Investigators suspect that lights on the tree may have started the blaze at the two-story home in Quakertown around 1:20 a.m. Saturday, Quakertown Police Chief Scott McElree told the newspaper.

“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 the Courier Times. “It was such a hot fire that most of the content where it started is burnt.”

The victims have been identified as 41-year-old Eric King and children 11-year-old Liam and 8-year-old Patrick. Two dogs also died.

King’s wife, who is the mother of the two deceased boys, managed to escape the fire, as did an older son. They were brought to an area hospital for evaluation, WPVI-TV reports.

Liam was in fifth grade and Patrick was in third grade. Brady, the surviving child, is in eighth grade, according to a letter from Quakertown Community School District Superintendent Bill Harner, who notified families on Saturday evening with what he wrote as “unbearable sorrow.”

The fire also destroyed a home next door, where the occupants were able to escape without injury.

The King’s home was already engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. Crews were able to get inside the residence at one point but were pushed out because of the intensity of the fire, WPVI-TV reports. The fire department had the blaze under control by 2:30 a.m.

Quakertown has a population of about 9,300 people and is located between Philadelphia and Allentown. McElree told the Courier Times that the local community is coming together to support the family.

“It’s horrendous,” McElree told the newspaper. “This impacts us all. This impacts our community, our families in general, the kids in the schools and the people who know the King family. We’re partners in this and we and the school district will do what we can to support everyone.”

Donations to the family have been pouring in, with more than $430,000 raised as of Sunday morning.

“Eric and Kristin were high school sweethearts and the happiest people you will have ever met,” the fundraiser reads.

“They were always smiling and full of positive spirits, you just couldn’t help but to love them. The three boys, Eric and Kristin were all a huge part of the Quakertown Youth Baseball Association and spent their days and nights at the baseball fields.”

[Feature image: The King Family/GoFundMe]

Source: This post first appeared on

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Bold Heist in Logan: Gang Leaps Fence and Shatters Door to Snatch BMWs

Authorities are on the lookout for seven individuals after a group was…

Tragic Discovery: Arkansas Mother and Twin Children Found Deceased Following Recent Divorce from Abusive Husband

Tragedy struck an Arkansas family as a mother entangled in divorce proceedings…

Tragic Bar Shooting in South Africa Claims 12 Lives, Including Three Children

A tragic mass shooting unfolded early Saturday morning near Pretoria, South Africa,…

Shocking Verdict: Parents Sentenced for Neglecting Newborn’s Nutrition Needs

Left: Marcus Maddela (Bucks County DA’s Office). Right: Courtney Soyka (Bucks County…

Deputies Report Man Accused of Stalking and Throwing Incendiary Devices at Young Woman’s Home

Inset: Alex Buley-Neumar (Livingston County Sheriff”s Office). Background: The Livingston County Jail…

Louisiana Murder Suspect Remains at Large Following Escape from St. Landry Parish Jail

Authorities are still searching for one inmate, charged with murder, who remains…

Daughter’s Emotional Rebuke in Court as Father Faces Sentencing for Wife’s Tragic Death

Inset left: Antonio Saldana (Fresno County District Attorney’s Office). Inset right: Lisa…

Unbelievable Survival: Man Walks 20 Minutes with Butcher Knife in Head – A Gripping Tale of Resilience

Inset: Tariq Thomas (Woodbury County Jail). Background: The home on South Lyons…

Hawthorne Resident Charged with Indecent Exposure: Local Arrest Sparks Community Concern

In Hawthorne, Florida, authorities arrested Andrew William Martone, 36, on charges of…

Beauty Queen Sentenced for Tragic Dorm Room Death of Toddler Boy

Background: Trinity Poague reacts after she”s found guilty of murdering her boyfriend’s…

Man Accused of Sending Methamphetamine Through Bank Drive-Thru Tube

Jason Smith (Monroe County Sheriff”s Office). An Ohio resident has been taken…

Florida Woman Accused of Concealing Xanax in Unusual Places

Inset: Kaylie Poe (Flagler County Sheriff”s Office). Background: A woman identified as…