Centralia House Fire That Killed 3 Children Ruled Accidental

CENTRALIA, Wash. (AP) — The Centralia Police Department has ruled a house fire that killed three children was accidental in nature.

The Chronicle reports that according to a report released Friday, there is no indication that the March 4 house fire was set intentionally, though the official cause of the fire is undetermined.

The fire killed 7-year-old Sam Tower, 10-year-old Madeline Tower and 12-year-old Ben Tower.

The children were sleeping in upstairs bedrooms when flames tore through the home just before 1 a.m. March 4. Their mother, who sleeping on the bottom floor, was unable to reach them.

Investigators say the fire could have been caused by a compact fluorescent light bulb that malfunctioned or oily towels that spontaneously combusted. Oily towels were by the front door, near where the fire likely started.