Overview
- Police identified the victim as 21-year-old Kayla Corrigan, a Syracuse University senior in the Whitman School of Management.
- Investigators reported several potential heat sources in the garage area and described preliminary evidence as pointing to an accidental origin, though no definitive cause has been determined.
- Two adults escaped the home while Corrigan was later found upstairs; the four-alarm fire drew roughly 75 firefighters and caused catastrophic damage.
- A GoFundMe for the Corrigan family surpassed its original goal and has raised more than $180,000 to assist with funeral costs, temporary housing, and essentials.
- State officials urged residents to check smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and practice escape plans, as neighbors reported not hearing alarms and memorial observances are being organized.