Stamford's Fatal Shippan Ave. Fire: A Timeline

Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011

3:00 a.m. - Shortly before or after this time, an unidentified resident of 2267 Shippan Ave., according to Stamford fire marshals, tossed a yule log that had been burning in the home's fireplace into either a trash enclosure or a mudroom on the first floor.

4:40-4:52 a.m. - A wood ember ignited at an unknown point during this time frame and spread quickly through the first floor and then to the upper floors. Homeowner Madonna Badger and her companion Michael Borcina escaped from the home and neighbors alarmed by Badger's cries for help called emergency response at 4:52 a.m.

4:58 a.m. - 's first team arrived at 2267 Shippan Ave.

"Firefighters from Engine 4 used a portable 24-foot ladder to reach a second floor roof and then climbed scaffolding to get into the home’s third floor to begin search and rescue efforts for the three children and two adults," Stamford firefighter Brendan Keatley wrote in a statement to Patch.

This team, led by SFRD captain Mark Shannon, were repelled by the heat and the heavy flame on the third floor.

5:00 a.m. - A second team of firefighters arrive and moved to extinguish the fire, which was out of control, according to Stamford fire investigators. "Forty six firefighters utilizing 12 pieces of fire apparatus" responded to the fire, Keatley said.

5-5:10 a.m. - The first response team left the home and Borcina informed them that the children may have already gone down to the second floor. The team again tried to enter and were again pushed out by the fire and flame within the home.

Another SFRD team arrived to assist with the flames, however, the possibility of rescue was already gone.