Cause of deadly Parkcliffe fire "undetermined"
YOUNGSTOWN
Fire officials said today they do not know the exact cause of the Dec. 9 fire that killed five children in their 434 Parkcliffe Ave. home.
Fire Investigator Capt. Kurt Wright said the fire started on a mattress on the first floor but he cannot say for sure how it started.
The mother of the young, America Negron, had said she was smoking on the mattress and fell asleep, and went upstairs when she woke up.
However, she later said one of her children could have been playing with a lighter.
"Unfortunately, there's no way I could disprove that," Wright said.
The official cause will be undetermined. The coroners office ruled the deaths of the children accidental.