Investigators Say Not Functioning Smoke Alarms During a Fire Led to the Death of a Boston Woman
Posted on March 23, 2013 Written By: iadminlaw
A fire that killed a Gloucester woman near Boston in January has been ruled as an accident. The fire marshal claimed that the smoke alarms that would have been able to help prevent her death were not working correctly when the fire ignited on January 26. Kim Anderson, 55 years old, was found dead, alone, in her home on Windsor Lane and arson did not appear to be the cause of her untimely death.
Investigators have worked tirelessly on this case to determine whether or not the fire was started on purpose or by impractical and incorrect usage of disposing regulations regarding smoking materials and combustibles. The baseboard heater or a malfunctioning electrical heater found in the home could have caught the rest of the house on fire if confronted by those combustibles.
The investigation did not find any evidence to match that theory and instead discovered that the family home was suspiciously and unfortunately missing operating smoke alarms. The one-story house did not have any that functioned at the time of the accidental fire.
The investigators from the fire marshal’s office were clear about the fact that working smoke alarms are the best defense in the line of a fire and that contrary to people’s beliefs about fires, the smoke and heat does not wake people up.
The smoke may in fact put residents of a home into a deeper sleep and the toxicity of it and the ash will not hit the members of a family until it is too late to save them.
According to reports, Anderson died of smoke inhalation and some burns to her body. She was not able to be alerted in time and did not make it out of her home safely. This just reiterates the importance of having functioning smoke alarms in your home.
If you or someone you know has been harmed in an accidental fire, please contact a personal injury lawyer at Accident Attorney’s Group. They will assist you with your case with a free evaluation.
