Kalamazoo Duplex Fire

Kalamazoo Duplex Fire/McGovern

By Munirah McGovern

Duplex Fire Kills One, Two Suspects in Custody Under Suspicion of Arson

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – A child died early this morning as a result of a duplex fire currently under investigation by police for arson, with two suspects currently in custody.

A fire that began early this morning in a Kalamazoo area duplex, killing one child and injuring two, is currently under investigation for arson.

Three children, Tiffany Blanchard, 3; Tory Blanchard, 5; and Terry Blanchard, 6; were taken to the emergency room at Bronson Memorial Hospital. Tiffany succumbed to smoke inhalation and was pronounced dead at 3:57 a.m. according to hospital officials. Tory and Terry were treated for minor injuries and released into the custody of their mother Marie Blanchard at 10 a.m. today.

The duplex, at 1275 Monroe St. in the Oakwood neighborhood, caught fire at 2:00 a.m. this morning. The fire department was called at 2:10 a.m., and the building was completely involved when they arrived on the scene at 2:15 a.m. In total, 3 trucks from 2 different companies responded.

Of the ten known tenants in the building, seven escaped on their own, leaving three children trapped on the second floor. The children were rescued by two firefighters, Samuel Walshe of Company 4 and James O’Brien of Company 2, who cut a hole in the roof to pull the children to safety.

An investigation of the building revealed it to have no smoke detectors, a violation of Kalamazoo city code. The case is currently under investigation by the fire marshal of Kalamazoo, Sam Johnson, said Patricia Clarksen, the deputy chief of

the Kalamazoo Fire Department. The police suspect the use of an accelerant in the fire, as was sniffed out on the scene by the fire department’s crime dog Smoky. Damages for the building are currently estimated at around $250,000.

The fire is also currently under investigation for causes and suspects by the Kalamazoo Police Department. Lt. Regina Santarpio of the Kalamazoo Police Department said that neighbors reported having seen two individuals in the area in the hours preceding the fire, one leaving the scene at 12:00 a.m., and a juvenile loitering in the area around the same time.

The two suspects, Vincent DeNofrio, 33, of Mattawan, and the juvenile, 16, also of Mattawan, are currently in custody and will be arraigned at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning.

A connection has been made between Marie Blanchard, a resident of the building, and DeNofrio. The latter was described by residents of the complex as an estranged boyfriend of Blanchard, and police now believe that Blanchard was the target of arson.

“What I can say without hesitation is that there is a nexus between Marie Blanchard, Vincent DeNofrio, and the fire” said Lt. Santarpio.

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