NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 68

Firewatch

A lit cigarette that ignited a couch was blamed for a
house fire in California that killed two residents.

CALIFORNIA
Fire started by a cigarette on a couch
kills two residents
An early morning house fire that
started when a lit cigarette ignited a
living room couch claimed the lives of
two residents.
The fire department was called
to the scene following a call to 911
by a passerby at 2:15 a.m. News coverage reported that the house was
fully involved when crews reached
the scene and that they deployed

The house was equipped with
battery-operated smoke alarms, but
investigators indicated that they were
not operational.
The house was a one-and-a-half-story
wood frame structure with a groundfloor area of 2,400 square feet (223
square meters).
The house and its contents, collectively
valued at $500,000, were a total loss.

PENNSYLVANIA
One dies, firefighter injured in fire
started by cooking materials
Cooking materials were blamed
for starting a late-night fire that
claimed the life of a male resident

FIREWATCH is a compilation of fire incidents involving a variety of occupancies and fire types. The intent of Firewatch is to illustrate the range of fire scenarios encountered by the fire service, present the challenges contained in those incidents, recount how the fire service addressed those challenges, and record the effectiveness of fire
protection systems, where such systems exist. The incidents are identified by NFPA's Research Group from fire reports submitted to NFPA by responding fire departments.
Some of the fire incidents that appear in Firewatch are augmented with details provided by media accounts.

68 | NFPA JOURNAL * J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 8

MACKENSIE DAVIS/LASSEN COUNT Y TIMES

Residential

large-flow hoses and master streams to
attack the fire.
When crews were able to enter the
house, they discovered one of the
victims in a rear bedroom and the
second at a rear entrance. Both victims
suffered fatal smoke inhalation injuries. One of the victims had a mild to
moderate intellectual disability, which
affected his ability to escape.
Investigators concluded that the fire
started after one of the occupants fell
asleep while smoking a cigarette on a
living room couch after taking medication. The cigarette ignited upholstery
on the couch and spread to other combustible materials.



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2018

Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 4
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 5
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 6
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 7
NFPA Journal - January/February 2018 - 8
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