After one other Massachusetts lethal hearth, officers warn of smoking round residence oxygen

Native hearth officers are warning residents in regards to the lethal risks of smoking round residence oxygen after one more deadly blaze within the Bay State.

A 68-year-old Plainville man died in a hearth final week, in accordance with investigators who discovered smoking supplies and medical oxygen gear on the scene.

It’s the fourth lethal hearth within the final month with smoking supplies and residential oxygen gear as potential elements.

“Smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts and across the country,” mentioned Plainville Hearth Chief Robert Skinner. “We want to remind all our residents that there’s no truly safe way to smoke, and that smoking around home oxygen is especially dangerous.”

The Plainville Hearth Division responded on Friday to the hearth at a house on Faculty Road, and noticed heavy hearth on arrival.

Firefighters made entry into the single-family residence, and located the only real occupant, later recognized as Mark Beyersdorfer, who suffered deadly accidents.

The origin and reason for the hearth are being investigated by the Plainville Hearth Division, Plainville Police Division, State Police hearth investigators assigned to the State Hearth Marshal’s workplace, and State Police assigned to the Norfolk DA’s workplace.

As with fires in Chicopee, Greenfield, Leominster, and Wakefield, investigators recognized smoking supplies and medical oxygen gear inside the residence as doable elements.

“Friday’s tragic fire was the fifth time this year that we identified smoking materials and medical oxygen equipment at the scene of a fatal fire,” mentioned State Hearth Marshal Jon Davine. “Four of them took place within a month.

“If you or a loved one use home oxygen, please use extra caution with open flames or heat sources,” Davine added. “Any fire will burn hotter and grow faster in an oxygen-rich environment.”