Cause of Fire That Killed Philadelphia Firefighter Visiting Relatives Last Month Found
POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) -- A fire that killed a Philadelphia firefighter was caused by an unattended fragrance candle, Pottstown Fire Marshal Richard Lengel said.
The candle ignited a sofa that was stuffed with a type of foam ``that burns like gasoline,'' Lengel said Tuesday.
``The problem with that foam has been discussed many times, but it's still legal,'' he said.
The Dec. 16 fire killed Edward Butler Sr., 42, who had been sleeping in a second-floor bedroom. His 16-year-old stepdaughter, Quanella Drumgold, survived the fire and described the events to Lengel. She said Butler was awakened by the smoke alarm and tried to rescue her.
``He did everything right and she did everything the right way, and we had people there within five to seven minutes of the alarm, but unfortunately, that's just the way it turned out,'' Lengel said.
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