Cigarette Blamed in Fire That Killed Mother, 2 Children

A smoldering cigarette in a kitchen trash can was the likely cause of a fire last week that killed a 28-year-old woman and her two small children, Orange fire officials said Tuesday.

Shawn Silvers, 28, and her children--6-year-old Lance and 4-year-old Brittany--died despite frantic efforts by neighbors and family members who pulled them from the smoke-filled house early Friday morning.

A disconnected smoke alarm was found in the hallway.

Fire officials said they believe the house had been filling with smoke since as early as 11 p.m. Thursday. Neighbors reported smelling smoke but were unable to find its origin.

“They probably died within an hour of when the fire started,” Fire Investigator Richard Alarcon said. Autopsies showed all three died of carbon-monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation.

Authorities looking into the incident learned that Silvers was careful to conceal her smoking, Alarcon said.

“She was a closet smoker, and she may have been trying to hide the cigarette from her children,” he said.

The fire burned only a small portion of the kitchen and was extinguished within 10 minutes of firefighters’ arrival shortly before 7 a.m. at the home on Hart Street in Orange.

Alarcon said the deaths are a tragic reminder that smoke alarms should be checked regularly. Fire officials recommend that residents check home alarms at least once a month and replace the batteries twice a year. Though more than 90% of U.S. homes have smoke alarms, as many as 20% of those are not working at any given time, the National Fire Safety Council estimates.

Funeral services for Silvers and her children are scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday at Fairhaven Mortuary, 1702 Fairhaven Ave., Santa Ana.