Wednesday, November 22, 2017

The Corinth, NY house fire that killed Tonya L. Slimmer, 39 and her 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna L. Slimmer, and sent other family members to the hospital Monday was caused by smoking










November 21, 2017 12:26 PM

Autopsies were performed on two victims of Monday's deadly fire in Corinth – 39-year-old Tonya Slimmer and her 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna.

The Saratoga County Sheriff's Department says the cause of death was smoke inhalation.


The fire broke out at their home on Main Street.

Two other children, ages 18 months and 3 years, were treated and released from the hospital.

Schools in Corinth are offering bereavement counseling. Brianna was a student there.

NewsChannel 13's media partners at The Post-Star report the fire was caused by smoking.

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CORINTH, NY — The fire that killed a mother and her daughter and sent other family members to the hospital Monday was caused by smoking, Corinth Fire Chief Andy Kelley said at the scene Tuesday morning.


Kelley said it is believed the fire was accidentally started by the 15-year-old daughter, Briaunna L. Slimmer, who died in the blaze along with her mother, Tonya L. Slimmer, 39.


According to the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, the cause of death for both victims was linked to smoke inhalation. Autopsies were performed Tuesday at Saratoga Hospital by Dr. Miachel Sikirica.


After the fire broke out, the teen called downstairs to her mother, but the two were overcome with smoke, Kelley said.


Tonya’s 20-year-old son and two of her children, an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old, were home at the time of the fire. Others were in school when the fire broke out.


Two firefighters rescued the young children, Kelley said. They were transported to Saratoga Hospital, then transferred to Albany Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation and released Monday.

Tonya’s husband, Jerry, was at work at the time of the fire and returned to the scene.


Two smoke detectors were found to be in operation by firefighters, although one was chirping with a low battery. Firefighters found no smoke detector on the second floor, where the fire started, Kelley said.

Donations for the family are being accepted through the Corinth First United Methodist Church. At least 40 volunteers, including Bonnie Bates, the church’s pastor, have been organizing the overflowing amount of donations at the church.


“It just has been amazing,” Bates said. “People just walked in and handed a $100 bill. Everybody wants to help.”


Items in need include toiletries including diapers sizes 3 and 5, toys, plastic storage totes, food and premade meals. Gift cards to Stewart’s Shops, Market 32, local restaurants and cash will be accepted.


According to Sherry Mann, who has helped lead the volunteer effort, they are accepting money to help the family make a payment for a three- or four-bedroom apartment.


Students at Corinth Central School began their morning with a moment of silence for a classmate, 15-year-old sophomore Briaunna, and her mother. Homeroom teachers read a note to the students, telling them to seek counseling if they needed it.


“We’re doing okay. Obviously, it’s been a difficult day,” said Superintendent Mark Stratton, whose schools have five other members of the Slimmmer family enrolled. “I wouldn’t say we have had a lot of students go for counseling but, of course, we did have some students who were a lot more affected than others. We have the counseling center open, and we also have the meeting room open for the staff members who need to talk.”


In a letter to students’ families, Stratton noted Briaunna had been in Corinth schools since kindergarten and was a member of the Leo Club, the chorus and cross-country team.


“She will always be remembered as a polite, hardworking and respectful young lady,” he wrote. “The loss of a student is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress in students.”


Sophomore classmate Isabella Mann, who was volunteering at the church Tuesday, said, “She always had a smile on her face and was a beautiful girl.”


Stratton said the school already had an assembly scheduled for Tuesday, the last day of the school week before Thanksgiving.


“That was good timing because it took the kids’ minds off the tragedy,” she said.

Jennifer Parent said she had been friends with Tonya Slimmer for more than two decades.

“She was an amazing person. She didn’t have much as far as material things, but she had a lot of love and a huge heart. She would help anyone that she could,” Parent said in an email. “She and I volunteered at Code Blue (homeless shelter) one season, and her kids rang the bell for the Salvation Army every holiday season. One son raised money every year and donated it to a local animal shelter. She had a tradition that she carried on from her mother who passed away a few years ago from cancer, which was every Christmas Eve she would make stockings and deliver them to the shelters of Saratoga.


“Tonya had a huge heart and she taught her children the same. She was always trying to find things to do with her children to make a difference in the community,” Parent added. “She would take people in to her house if they had no place to go and treat them like family. She really was amazing and I just wish more people really knew her.”

A GoFundMe fundraiser has raised nearly $7,000 as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. The goal is set at $10,000 to help cover funeral costs.

An account was established Tuesday at Hudson River Community Credit Union under the name Jerry Slimmer Sr. Those wishing to make a donation may do so at any branch during regular business hours, according to CEO Sue Commanda.

A Corinth auction house will also be open to collect items to help the family.

A Hoops for Holidays event scheduled at 3:30 p.m., Nov. 29, will benefit the family.

Pastor Bates said a wake will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church, and funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday.

A prayer vigil for the victims and family is planned at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the corner of Main and Beech streets.

The house was demolished Tuesday morning after being condemned by local officials.

The family was also assisted by The Salvation Army with cots, and the American Red Cross donated money to the family.