HAVERHILL, MASS. (WHDH) - The improper disposal of smoking materials caused a Haverhill fire that sent a man to the hospital with serious burn injuries over the weekend, fire officials said.
Crews responding to an automatic fire alarm activation on 170 Main St. just before 6 a.m. found smoke coming from a second-floor window, according to a release issued by officials on Sunday.
Heat detectors, smoke alarms, and fire sprinkler systems in the building all activated and residents of the 22-unit building responded to the fire.
“Fortunately, these fire protection systems worked as intended and protected all the other residents of the building,” Haverhill Fire Chief Laliberty said.
They entered the victim’s studio apartment and found him in his bed and on fire.
The neighbors then grabbed fire extinguishers and were able to put it out enough to move the man into the hallway where firefighters provided emergency medical attention.
The man was transported to a local hospital and his condition has not been made available.
Investigators determined the cause of the fire was smoking in bed while the victim was utilizing medicinal oxygen.
An oxygen-rich environment makes it much easier for a fire to start and spread whether or not the machine is running.
“Keep oxygen and tubing 10 feet away from heat sources such as candles, matches, lighters, heaters, wood stoves, electric razors, hair dryers, cooking stoves, and smoking materials.” Laliberty added, “There is no safe way to smoke around home oxygen. Turning off the oxygen is not enough because your clothes, hair, bedding and the tubing soak up the oxygen and become oxygen-enriched.”
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