By Dan Rozek and Kara Spak
The Chicago Sun Times
CHICAGO — When 12-year-old Bridget Finnerty and her 6-year-old brother, Pierce, woke up early Tuesday and smelled smoke, they yelled to warn their parents and brother — then made their own escape from their burning Arlington Heights home.
The two children crawled out a second-floor bedroom window onto the roof above their front door, police said. Bridget jumped to the ground and ran to alert a neighbor, who called 911 and then, along with police officers, rescued Pierce.
Despite the children’s shouted warnings, the 3:30 a.m. blaze killed their mother, 41-year-old Patricia “Trish” Finnerty, and their brother, 11-year-old Garrett, while leaving their father severely burned and on life support, Arlington Heights authorities said. Kevin Finnerty, 46, an artist and stay-at-home dad, suffered burns over virtually his entire body and was in “severely grave” condition at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, Police Cmdr. Kenneth Galinski said.
Calling the fire an “apparent arson,” Galinski said investigators discovered an unusual burn pattern indicating an accelerant may have been used to start the blaze in the second-floor bedroom where Trish Finnerty was found dead.
“There is some heavy charring and burning on one section of bedroom floor,” Galinski said.
All the doors to the home were locked when firefighters arrived, leading investigators to conclude a family member likely set the deadly fire inside the modest, white frame house, Galinski said.
Kevin Finnerty was pulled from the first-floor kitchen area of the home by firefighters, who found a cut on Finnerty’s head. His son, Garrett, a fifth-grader who was to graduate next week from Westgate School, was found in bed in his second-floor bedroom, authorities said.
Galinski and other officials late Tuesday wouldn’t say who they think started the blaze. They said they’re still conducting forensic tests and interviewing potential witnesses. More results may be available today, Galinski said.
The tragic deaths and the mystery surrounding the fire left neighbors and friends reeling.
“I think stunned would be the word,” said neighbor Carolyn Lundgren, who said the three children often played outside in the quiet residential neighborhood, while their father worked in the yard or kept an eye on them.
“They’re a very nice family,” Lundgren said. “I saw nothing amiss.”
Kevin Finnerty was a well-known local artist and painter who worked from his home and also cared for his three children while Trish Finnerty worked as a counselor at Libertyville High School, neighbors said. He also helped coach Garrett’s youth league baseball team.
He sold his work — pastel paintings of landscapes — at a number of suburban and Chicago art galleries and recently had donated several works to be auctioned for a local charity fund-raiser, Arlington Heights Mayor Arlene Mulder said.
“They’re just wonderful people,” said Mulder, who knows the family. “It’s such a tragedy I’m almost at a loss for words.”
Another neighbor said he never saw either parent have to discipline any of the children.
“They were the perfect family,” said the neighbor, who didn’t want to be identified. “The kids always seemed happy.”
Officials at Libertyville High School said Trish Finnerty will be “deeply missed.”
“She was a valued staff member and has formed many relationships with our parents and students, and was instrumental in helping our seniors gain admission to college,” officials said in a statement.
Pierce was not injured in the fire, but Bridget might have injured her leg slightly jumping to the ground, Galinski said.
They were staying with relatives Tuesday night.
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