(CNN) -- A grandfather who perished in a Christmas day fire at a Connecticut home died from blunt-force head and neck trauma as well as smoke inhalation, while his wife and their three grandchildren died from smoke inhalation, the state medical examiner's office said Wednesday.





Authorities said on Tuesday that Lomer Johnson fell through roof rafters outside a window. One of the children's bodies was found just inside the window.





It appeared Johnson was trying to get the child out, but died after climbing through the window, said Stamford, Connecticut, Acting Fire Chief Antonio Conte. The medical examiner's office said Wednesday Johnson suffered from smoke inhalation in addition to trauma from the fall.





Three young sisters -- a 10-year-old and 7-year-old twins -- died in the fire along with the Johnsons. The girls' mother, Madonna Badger, and a friend escaped the blaze.





The fire, which broke out about 5 a.m. Sunday morning in the three-story Victorian home, is believed to have been caused by smoldering embers removed from a fireplace about two hours before and taken to an area in the rear of the house, Stamford Chief Fire Marshal Barry Callahan said.





The city of Stamford razed the three-story home on Monday after determining it was unsafe. The million-dollar home in the wealthy Shippan Point neighborhood was under renovation. All that was left of it was the mailbox, around which grieving neighbors placed flowers.





CNN affiliate WFSB reported that Badger attempted to climb the renovation scaffolding outside the home in an apparent attempt to reach her family. Witnesses said they heard her screaming that her whole life was inside the home, the station said.





Intense flames and heat pushed back firefighters searching for the trapped family members, Conte told reporters on Tuesday.





The investigation into the fire continues, officials said.





"It's going to take a while," Conte said. "That poor woman lost her entire family in one fell swoop."





Badger, a New York advertising executive, purchased the Connecticut home for $1.7 million in December 2010, according to property records.





Johnson worked as a Santa at Saks Fifth Avenue's Manhattan store this holiday season, the department store said. He and his wife would have celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary on Monday, according to WFSB.





Authorities said Tuesday it was unclear whether the home had working smoke detectors.





CNN's Ronni Berke contributed to this report.
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