FIRE INCIDENTS FROM NFPA FILES Compiled and written by Richard Campbell, NFPA Research Group Punch Deck® MISSOURI Candle ignites apartment fire that claims life of resident One resident died in an early-morning fire that was caused by a candle left burning on a dining room table. Firefighters were dispatched at 4:55 a.m. by a report of a building fire in a multifamily apartment complex. Upon arrival, crews observed a working fire in a two-story residential structure. Bystanders reported that residents were possibly trapped inside the building. Firefighters immediately initiated rescue and extinguishment efforts. Crews entered the building and were quickly able to extinguish a fire in the living room of a first floor apartment. The rescue team found the body of a male resident in a bedroom in the unit's second floor. The body was left in place until an investigation into cause could be completed. Investigators determined that the fire began in a first floor living room where a candle came into contact with combustible materials on a dining room table while two occupants were on the second floor, unaware of the fire. One of the occupants awoke to smoke and fire conditions and was able to escape through a window, but the second occupant was unable to evacuate after attempts to alert him. Reports indicated that the property was not protected by automatic detection equipment or a sprinkler system. The building was a wood-frame structure consisting of eight two-story apartment units, with a ground floor area of 3,404 square feet (316 square meters). Each apartment contained approximately 851 square feet (79 square meters) of living space. Damage from the fire was estimated at $45,000. WISCONSIN Cigarette blamed for fire that kills elderly woman Open Area Rack Deck Punch Deck® Plus Flat Cap | Open Area Rack Deck FIRE CODE COMPLIANT PRODUCTS FOR WAREHOUSE RACK STORAGE DACS inc. 757-337-5005 dacsinc.com PROVEN SOLUTIONS | ONE SOURCE FlueKeeper® & FlueKeeper® HD Keeps Required Flue Spaces Open Fire and Heat Baffles Horizontal or Vertical An elderly resident with limited mobility succumbed to burn injuries after her cigarette ignited her clothing and N F PA . O R G / J O U R N A L * NFPA JOURNAL | 75http://WWW.NFPA.ORG/JOURNAL http://WWW.NFPA.ORG/JOURNAL