A Connecticut mother is demanding answers after her eight-year-old son and his 72-year-old grandfather died in a house fire, with conflicting reports about the blaze's cause. Tahia 'Ty' Kamp escaped with her two older sons after being woken by her mother around midnight on November 3, 2025, in North Haven, Connecticut.
Firefighters Discover Victims
Firefighters found John Morris dead on his bed, and eight-year-old Aurelian Kamp, known as Baby, hiding underneath. The boy was rushed to Yale-New Haven Hospital but died about an hour later. Ty, an assistant director at Yale University, initially believed both had escaped safely.
“Even when the firemen arrived, I still believed they were going to come out alive,” she said.
Conflicting Reports on Fire Cause
The North Haven Fire Department initially stated the fire was an “accidental smoking-related” incident. However, an incident report later listed the cause as “undetermined after investigation.” Ty is questioning this change, saying, “The pronouncement from the Fire Chief on November 4th was a rush to judgement, as proven by the fact that his own department’s official report a week later stated that the cause of the fire was ‘undetermined after investigation.’”
The fire department has not responded to requests for comment.
Mother Recalls Night of Terror
Ty described being woken by her mother’s screams. “She was saying there is a fire, and she couldn’t get to John. I saw the fire, and it was enormous.” She kicked open her eldest children’s door and then ran to John’s room. “I ran to the door, and was screaming for John. I saw the flames were consuming the stairwell only a few feet away. I kept screaming for them, but their bedroom door was shut. In my panic, I thought maybe John had gone out of the window with the Baby, and they were outside.”
She added, “The level of terror that set in is indescribable. I just started praying.”
Tribute to Victims
Ty remembered her son as “brilliant, generous, kind – everywhere we went, people adored him.” She called John “the only true father I ever had, and we all adored him for the wonderful man he was.” She found some comfort in that they died together, as they loved each other dearly.
Friends and family have supported Ty with donations of money, clothes, toys, and books.
