'Inconsistencies' In Story of Tucker Fire That Killed Mom, Daughters

TUCKER, GA -- Fire investigators were back on the scene this weekend of a fire that killed a mother and two daughters, saying there are “inconsistencies” in the story of the fire’s only survivor.

Brent Patterson escaped the February 9 blaze in the 1000 block of Pointer Ridge that killed his wife, Kathy, and daughters Kayla, 12, and Madelyn, 9.

“Our goal is to rule out potential ignition sources and to try and pinpoint an exact origin and cause of the fire,” said Gwinnett Fire Captain Tommy Rutledge in a news release.

The news release said there are “inconsistencies in the information provided by the lone survivor as to what took place during the fire,” but stopped short of suggesting Patterson may have intentionally set the fire.

“The inconsistencies are not an indication of culpability, but rather complicate the progress of the investigation,” Rutledge said in the release.

Details of what the inconsistencies may have been were not released because the fire remains under active investigation.

According to initial reports from Gwinnett Fire & Emergency Services, Patterson told investigators the family was upstairs getting ready to go to bed when they heard popping sounds from downstairs.

He went downstairs to investigate and found the house’s lower level on fire. He told firefighters he yelled for the rest of the family to get out of the house, then exited the home himself.

When he realized they hadn’t escaped, Patterson said, he tried to go back in and help them, but couldn’t because of heat and smoke from the fire.

A neighbor also attempted to get into the house to help but could not, officials said.

According to the news release, investigators are now awaiting results of toxicology reports and trying to match what they see in the remains of the home, which was destroyed, with what Patterson is telling them.

Fire investigators have now been joined by agents from the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s office and Gwinnett County Police Department, among others.