February 23, 1999 - Madison, WI
A 2-year-old playing with a butane lighter likely started a fatal East Side fire that ended in his death and the deaths of his mother and brother at
The boy had a history of playing with fire. Investigators also found at least two accessible lighters, one of which had had its child safety device removed.
The child evidently ignited a urethane foam mattress in a front, second-floor bedroom of the house.
The three were quickly overcome by carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide, toxic byproducts of burning urethane. Hydrogen cyanide is 25 times more deadly
than carbon monoxide.
Fire officials said the battery had been removed from the second-floor smoke detector.
5309 Trafalger Pl.
Deborha Moore (34) died later that day
Paul Braun III (2) died the next day.
Zachary Solberg (10 weeks) removed from life support three weeks later
