Stamford Woman to Sue City After Losing Family in Fire Madonna Badger, whose three young daughters and parents died in a fire at her waterfront house in Stamford, Conn., last Christmas morning, plans to sue the city, contending that its actions cost her $3 million worth of property and hurt her chances of collecting damages, according to a notice of claim sent to city officials this week. Ms. Badger's intended lawsuit does not directly address the question of blame for the fire. It focuses on Stamford officials" decision to demolish the remains of the house the day after the fire, which Ms. Badger contends intentionally destroyed evidence before independent experts could assess the cause of the fire and help her recover money "from the responsible parties." The notice of claim, sent on Wednesday, is a legally required move before the city can be sued. Last month, her former husband, Matthew Badger, sent a similar notice to the city. His notice criticized the demolition of the house but went further by accusing city officials of allowing the house to become a firetrap by failing to properly inspect construction work being done there. The contractor, Michael Borcina, was in a relationship with Ms. Badger. Fire officials have said that the blaze began when Mr. Borcina discarded fireplace embers around 3 a.m. in a mudroom or covered trash bin adjoining the house. He and Ms. Badger escaped the fire that killed the three girls and Ms. Badger's parents. Ms. Badger's notice did not directly accuse the City of Stamford of improperly monitoring the construction, but it was delivered along with a copy of her ex-husband's notice. In any event, the move toward a lawsuit against the city is bound to complicate what is already a painful thicket of emotions surrounding the case, which drew throngs to a Manhattan funeral at which rows of uniformed Stamford firefighters stood at attention. "Right about now is when Madonna loses the support of the residents of Stamford," an anonymous commenter wrote on the Web site of The Stamford Advocate, which first reported that Ms. Badger's notice of intent to sue had been delivered via certified mail to Stamford officials. City officials did not immediately return phone calls, and Ms. Badger's lawyer, Frank Corso, declined to comment on Friday. "I have an antiquated practice of not discussing cases with the media," he said. But Mr. Badger's lawyer, Richard D. Emery, said both parents" planned lawsuits, while different in some details, were intended to hold those responsible for the fire "fully accountable." Mr. Badger's notice of intent suggests that his lawsuit will explore accountability for allowing the children to live in the house while construction was in progress, the lack of a functioning fire detection system and other safety issues. But while Mr. Badger plans to sue Mr. Borcina, the contractor, he does not plan to sue his ex-wife, Mr. Emery said. "To the extent she's accountable, she has to live with what happened," Mr. Emery said. There's no point in holding her accountable. He added, "It's as complex a human situation as anyone has ever been in." Both parents" lawsuits will accuse the city of intentionally destroying evidence by tearing down the ravaged structure one day after the Christmas fire, before it could be inspected independently - or even visited by the parents to search for mementos - a decision that Mr. Emery called "extraordinarily suspicious." "There's no logical explanation for it to be torn down other than covering up responsibility," he said. Under Connecticut law, the city could be held liable for any damages from the fire if it is found to have destroyed evidence that would probably have supported a claim for those damages. Ms. Badger's letter also contends that the hasty demolition destroyed remaining property and possessions that were worth up to $3 million.