Arson ruled out in Front Royal fire that killed three

FRONT ROYAL -- The April 17 fire that killed Steven Cook, 32 and his daughters, Melissa, 8, and Stevie, 4, has been labeled undetermined and not a result of arson, according to a press release issued this morning by Front Royal Police Chief Ronald A. Williamson.

The origin of the fire at 1352 John Marshall Highway was in the area of the southeast corner of the house's front porch, facing the highway, according to Cpl. Steve Mauck, lead investigator in the case.

Theories into the cause of the fire, according to the release, include an improperly discarded cigarette or some recently laid landscaping mulch that could have built up heat and spontaneously caught fire.

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