Four victims of Cordova fire identified

The State Fire Marshal's Office has determined a deadly fire in Cordova was accidental. The fire was caused by the electrical failure of an extension cord.

The four victims have been identified as:

Crystal Vickrey, 39

Brittney Newsome, 19

Kaden Newsome, 12

Tiara Schwab, 20

The Seward County Sheriff's Office responded to the fire around 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Autopsies revealed the four victims died from smoke inhalation. Two people were able to make it out of the home without injuries.

The State Fire Marshal's investigation into the fire is now complete.

Brittney Newsome was a freshman at University of Nebraska at Kearney, majoring in business and accounting. She was a 2018 graduate of Friend High School.

“The UNK family is sad at the news of the loss of Brittney, who was a member of the Pride of the Plains Marching Band. She will be missed. Our hearts go out to her family and friends. We share your grief for Brittney. She will be remembered with fondness and pride for her accomplishments here," said Todd Gottula, UNK Director of Communications.

Representatives from UNK Student Health and Counseling are available to individuals who would like to talk with someone. Visit the counseling center in room 144 of the Memorial Student Affairs Building or call 865.8248.