HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- The contractor who took the blame for accidentally starting a 2011 Christmas Day house fire in Connecticut that killed his girlfriend's three children and her parents now says it was their mother who left a bag of fireplace ashes in a mudroom.

The Hartford Courant reports Michael Borcina told attorneys during a lawsuit deposition that he lied to police to protect Madonna Badger.

Borcina had told authorities he put the ashes in the room. He later agreed to pay $5 million to settle a lawsuit.

Borcina and Badger escaped the fire in Stamford.

The deposition is part of one several lawsuits filed by the children's father, Matthew Badger. Neither he nor Madonna Badger immediately returned calls Monday seeking comment.