'Complex and intensive investigation' underway into deadly Jeannette fire, investigator says

An investigation into the cause of the deadly fire this week in Jeannette could take weeks, the fire investigator said.

Four children and their father were killed in the blaze early Wednesday that destroyed their two-story Guy Street home and badly damaged a neighbor’s house.

“It’s a complex and intensive investigation,” state police Fire Marshal Chet Bell said. “It’s going to take some time.”

Four children: Kyson John, 7, Kinzleigh John, 6, Keagan John, 3 and Korbyn John, 1 month, and their father, Tyler J. King, 27, died in the fire.

Two other children, 10 and 1, and King’s fiancee, Miranda John, made it out and were hospitalized. Family members said they were being treated for smoke inhalation.

Multiple agencies are involved in assessing the fire, Bell said.

“There’s still a lot of investigation to do as far as interviews and revisiting the scene several times,” Bell said.

Leadership from the Jeannette police, fire and emergency management departments said in a letter released Friday that they were “deeply moved by the countless acts of kindness, generosity and resilience displayed by the members of our great community.”

The letter asked for patience and understanding from the public as first responders mourn and recover from the incident, and noted that they may be more comfortable talking to the media at a future time.

“For the time being, we ask your cooperation in allowing us the space and time needed to grieve and support one another,” the letter said. “Together, we will emerge stronger and more resilient as a community.”

Recovering from disaster

Three GoFundMe fundraisers continue to collect money for the families. As of Friday evening, one had raised nearly $79,000 of a $100,000 goal for Miranda John and her children.

A second, created by Tyler King’s twin brother, Kenny, has raised nearly $4,600 of a $50,000 goal.

A third effort is in support of the neighboring family who lived in the home beside King and John’s home. Organized by Maddison Skundrich, it has raised $13,900 of a $10,000 goal to benefit David and Lauren Diffenderfer and their 10-month-old son, John.

The Diffenderfers returned to their home Friday to salvage any belongings spared from the flames.

“Most everything is just completely soaked, fire-damaged,” David Diffenderfer said. “We’re washing the stuff now trying to see if anything’s going to get the smoke out. A lot of stuff, like a necklace that I bought (Lauren), was just melted next to her bed..”

The Diffenderfers are going to be OK, even though their home was destroyed, Lauren Diffenderfer said Friday.

She thanked those who’ve helped for their kindness, and encouraged people to donate to help Miranda John and her family.

“People are helping us — we have a lot of support. We appreciate the support that we get from the community, but we really want Miranda and the boys to be as supported as possible,” she said. “We lost things in a home, but we didn’t lose each other. Those things can be replaced, so we’re going to be fine.”

The family is currently staying in a hotel.

Their two dogs and two cats made it out of the fire. The cats sought refuge from the flames in the basement of the home, David Diffenderfer said. They were safely retrieved Wednesday morning. The pets are being cared for by Petland in Norwin and a family member.

“Everyone around us is just so kind and helpful and generous,” Lauren Diffenderfer said. “It’s just really amazing how good people can be.”

The night of the fire, Lauren Diffenderfer woke up to a bright light in the direction of Miranda John’s home and saw flames.

David Diffenderfer ran to bang on the door of the burning home while Lauren called 911, she said. He climbed his ladder and tried to help Miranda John from the outside as others helped get her and her children off the roof.

“Miranda was just panicking, like, ‘My babies are inside,’” David Diffenderfer said.

He will never forget the fire’s intensity.

“You hear of fires. You just can’t imagine how that smoke was pouring out,” he said.

Fire trucks, police and neighbors crowded the street in no time.

“It was just like a flurry of activity,” Lauren Diffenderfer said. “Our neighborhood and our immediate neighbors, everybody just jumped in. Everyone was trying to help, everyone was trying to do something. It was just really overwhelming.”

Lauren and David Diffenderfer knew Miranda John and Tyler King’s family as kind neighbors. The children’s grandfather, Richard John, gave Lauren the corrugated steel she used to build her raised planting beds in the backyard.

“Our son is obviously our first (child), and they were just really sweet and wonderful when we brought him home,” she said. “We are just really struggling with that idea that they’re just not going to be there anymore.”

Tyler King was one of the happiest people David Diffenderfer has ever known.

“Tyler was just such an amazing guy,” he said. “Anytime you saw him, he was just so happy. You just knew he was genuine. He always asked how you were doing.

“The kids were just so sweet. They were just so fun and they just enjoyed life so much. Sometimes, they would come over and pick zucchinis and stuff out of the garden,” he said. “We’re going to miss that a lot. Just all of those interactions with them.”