STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut woman whose three daughters and parents died in a Christmas Day fire says she considered putting fireplace ashes blamed for the blaze outside hours before flames swept through the home.

But Madonna Badger said in an interview aired Thursday on NBC's "Today" show that the bag of ashes didn't seem dangerous because boyfriend Michael Borcina ran his hands over them before putting them in an entryway.

Hours later, she awoke to choking smoke and frantically tried to find her children. She says Borcina — his eyes burned shut — ran around the yard yelling for the girls and telling them to jump to him from upper floors.

The fire in Stamford killed 7-year-old twins Grace and Sarah Badger, 9-year-old Lily Badger, and their grandparents Lomer and Pauline Johnson.