Chicopee House Fire That Killed 2 Blamed On Smoking
CHICOPEE, Mass. (AP) — Investigators have determined that smoking caused a house fire in Chicopee last weekend that killed an 87-year-old woman and her 60-year-old son.
State Fire Marshal Stephen Coan and Fire Chief Dean Desmarais said Thursday the fire began in a basement room last Sunday morning where people had been smoking shortly before the blaze was reported. All other possible causes have been ruled out.
Police identified the victims as Bridgitte Nierbergall and Mark Boucher. Three other people in the ranch-style home at the time escaped.
The home had working smoke alarms.
Firefighters arrived on the scene to find the house already fully engulfed.
Coan says the improper use and disposal of smoking materials caused nine fatal fires in Massachusetts last year.
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