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The fire broke out at 74 Springfield St. in Agawam, said the State Fire Marshal’s office, and it was caused by accidental.
Apparently, the fire occurred while the victim was smoking in bed. The woman who died was using medical oxygen at the time, which created an oxygen-enriched environment.
This is the second fatal fire caused by smoking in the last 8 months in Agawam, the town’s fire chief said.
There were no working smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors in the home, the fire marshall said. One fire alarm was found on a shelf without a working battery.
“When home oxygen is used, the amount of oxygen in the air, bedding, furniture, clothing, and hair increases making it easier for a fire to start and spread, whether or not the oxygen machine is running,” the state fire marshal said.
Agawam Fire Chief Alan Sirois implored people to take fire safety seriously.
“I beg everyone in this city to make sure they have working smoke alarms on every level of their home before going to sleep tonight,” Sirois said.
In both of the recent deadly fires, no working smoke alarms were in the homes.
A “lack of functioning smoke detectors is believed to be a contributing factor in the deaths,” Sirois said.
Keep any oxygen tanks and tubing at least 10 feet from heat sources such as candles, matches, lighters, heaters, wood stoves, electric razors, hairdryers, cooking stoves, and smoking materials, firefighters said.
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