Two people killed in a fierce early-morning house fire on North Common in Chelsea have now been publicly identified. Vermont State Police on Monday named the victims as 71-year-old Karen Snyder and 57-year-old Max Quayle.
According to a Vermont State Police news release, the blaze was reported around 3:15 a.m. last Wednesday and drew multiple area fire departments to the scene. Crews worked for roughly three and a half hours before the flames were knocked down, but the house was ultimately declared a total loss. During a later search of the burned structure, investigators found the remains of two people and sent them to the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington for autopsies, the release states.
Officials later confirmed that the victims lived in the home, and local outlets named them on Monday. NBC Boston reports that authorities are asking anyone who may have information about the fire or the victims’ final hours to contact the Royalton barracks at 802-234-9933 or submit a tip online.
Damage to Nearby Homes
The fire did not stop at the property line. Flames and heat damaged neighboring buildings along North Common, and town officials now say several nearby homes are no longer safe to occupy. The Valley News quoted Chelsea Fire Chief Ed Coburn as saying, "Both 5 and 7 North Common will likely have to be torn down because they are unsafe," a call that will ultimately be made by the property owners and the town.
Investigation Underway
The Department of Public Safety’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit is handling the origin-and-cause portion of the case, while the Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigations is leading the probe into the two deaths, according to the state police news release. The incident has been logged as Case #26B2003004, and officials say more details will be shared as the investigation moves forward.
Anyone with information that could aid investigators is urged to call the Royalton barracks at 802-234-9933 or send an anonymous tip online, local reporting notes. For additional coverage on the victims’ identification and the ongoing inquiry, see reporting from NBC Boston.
