The Town of Goshen community is mourning the deaths of a father and his two sons who were killed in a fire at their home May 31.
New York State Police said a preliminary investigation has determined the cause of the fire was accidental.
According to state police, a fire with people trapped inside was reported at 876 Pulaski Highway in the town of Goshen at 8:11 p.m. Saturday.
Numerous fire departments and emergency medical service agencies responded to the scene.
When the first firefighters arrived, they found the house already completely engulfed in flames.
During rescue operations, Shane Munn, 50, was found dead inside the residence.
His sons, 12-year-old Travis and 17-year-old Ryan, were also found inside the house and taken to Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, where they later died from their injuries.
Tom Mattingly, owner of Matthingly’s Tavern in the Village of Florida, said in a June 1 Facebook post, “It breaks our heart to learn of the tragic passing last night of our friend Shane Munn and his two sons.”
Mattingly said Munn was one of the earliest supporters of his tavern when he first opened for business.
“(My wife) Erin and I spent many an afternoon with Shane during his lunch hour and on days when his work ended early talking about the monumental challenge of being a single father and specifically about his boys who he deeply loved. Without question, the most joy Shane experienced in his life were during the times he could make his sons happy by something as simple as taking them out for ice cream.”
Orange County Sheriff Paul Arteta shared his thoughts on the tragedy in a statement.
“The Orange County Sheriff’s Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the father and his two young sons who tragically lost their lives in the devastating house fire on Pulaski Highway in the Town of Goshen. Our hearts are with the community as we mourn this heartbreaking loss.
“We also want to commend the incredible bravery and dedication of the emergency services personnel who responded to the fire. Firefighters from multiple departments worked tirelessly to battle the flames, demonstrating unwavering commitment to protecting lives and property.”
“In moments of great loss, we are reminded of the strength of our community and the courage of those who serve. Our first responders put themselves in harm’s way to protect others and their dedication does not go unnoticed. We stand with the family and the Goshen community during this difficult time.”
While Travis and Ryan were not students in his district – they attended Florida schools – Goshen Superintendent of Schools Kurtis Kotes said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to this family during this very sad time. The Goshen community is here to support our neighboring school district in any way possible.”
Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@th-record.com.
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Goshen community mourns loss of father, two sons in ‘devastating’ house fire
Reporting by Mike Randall, Middletown Times Herald- Record / Times Herald-Record
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