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2011 Top Story No. 4: Mother, daughter killed in Southold fire

PHOTO COURTESY OF KENNETH WHITE | The Goose Creek Lane home in Southold.

A mother and daughter were killed on Aug. 23 in their Southold home during an early-morning blaze.

Kathryn Primich, 86, and Barbara Primich, 56, died as their waterfront house at 900 Goose Creek Lane became engulfed in flames.

Police received word of the two-story house fire — located on an unpaved, private road — through a 911 call from a neighbor at 5:23 a.m. that morning.

About 100 firefighters from Southold, Greenport, Mattituck and Cutchogue responded and volunteers discovered the two victims.

Kathryn Primich was born in Macon, Ga., and had been a registered nurse. A part-time resident since 1960, she and her daughter moved to Southold full time seven years ago.

Barbara Primich was born in Queens and educated at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., where she received a bachelor’s degree in economics. She had been a legal analyst for Morgan Guaranty Trust in New York City for 18 years. She was an active member of and volunteer at Southold United Methodist Church.

Southold detectives and the Suffolk County Police Department arson and homicide squads are currently finalizing their investigation. An investigator at the scene had said it does not appear to be suspicious.

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