US authorities warn against smoking while on medical oxygen after explosive fire destroyed a home
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US officials are urging the public to avoid smoking near or while using medical oxygen following a tragic incident in Plainville, Massachusetts.
Concentrated oxygen and open flames, or burning embers, are a potentially explosive combination.
Local and state fire investigators found smoking materials and medical oxygen equipment at the scene of Friday’s fatal fire in Plainville, said Plainville Fire Chief Robert Skinner, Plainville Police Chief James Floyd, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, and Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey.
“Smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts and across the country,” said Chief 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 government of the US State of Massachusetts writes on their web page.
“Smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts and across the country,” said Plainville 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.”
“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,” said State Fire Marshal 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. Any fire will burn hotter and grow faster in an oxygen-rich environment.”
The Plainville Fire Department responded to the fire at 61 School St. at about 3:10 on December 13 and observed heavy fire on arrival. Firefighters made entry into the single-family home and the fire was quickly extinguished with the assistance of mutual aid from neighbouring departments.
Inside, they discovered the a 68 year old resident, who later passed away from his injuries.
The Department of Fire Services reported that an investigation concluded the fire, which resulted in one fatality, was probably sparked by stray smoking materials combined with home oxygen equipment.
The investigation, which involved several local agencies, uncovered smoking materials and medical oxygen apparatus at the scene, as noted by the Department of Fire Services.
Over the last five years, six Massachusetts residents have lost their lives in fires related to smoking while on home oxygen, according to the DFS. This recent incident is the fourth this month involving home oxygen, stated State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine.
Illustration Credit: Man smoking in bed while on medical oxygen. From an idea by Bjorn Ulfsson, CTIF, executed by Chat GPT.