Madonna Badger recalls horror of fatal Christmas fire
Madonna Badger, the Connecticut woman who tragically lost her three young girls and her parents in a house fire on Christmas Day, speaks about the ordeal in an exclusive interview with Matt Lauer that will air on TODAY Thursday.
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In the early hours of Christmas morning, a fire that an emergency worker told the New York Daily News may have been started by a yule log engulfed the familys $1.7 million Victorian home in Stamford, Conn. The blaze claimed the lives of 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah and 10-year-old Lily, as well as the childrens grandparents.
Story: Man died trying to save granddaughter in Conn. fireBadger, a fashion executive, is now planning to sue the city of Stamford for property damage, personal injury and civil rights violations, saying the city did not give her notice or properly compensate her when it demolished the remains of her home, according to a report by the Associated Press.
During the interview with Lauer, a tearful Badger recounts the moment firefighters pulled her away as she tried to get back into the burning house to save her children.
Video: 911 calls released in Christmas fire (on this page)My teeth were black and my mouth was black from the smoke, she said. They took me away quickly because they were worried about smoke inhalation. Evidently, something can happen to you, (so) they said I had to go right away.
I begged and begged them. There was an ambulance, and the walkie-talkies are going on, and Im yelling at them, Where are my kids? Where are my babies?
Video: Conn. house fire kills 5 on Christmas (on this page)Somebody said, Turn off the radios, turn off the radios! I knew they mustve I dont know what happened. Something really bad.
Badger also talks about what may have caused the fire and the events during and after the tragedy. The full interview with Lauer with air Thursday on Rock Center with Brian Williams at 10 p.m. ET.
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