Lowell fire that killed 4-year-old likely caused by improperly disposed smoking materials

LOWELL — The March 3 fire that killed a 4-year-old girl on Maude Street was likely caused by the improper disposal of smoking materials on a first-floor exterior porch, officials said Thursday.

In a statement released by Lowell Fire Chief Phillip Charron, outgoing Police Superintendent Kelly Richardson, state Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey and Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, the cause of the fire remains “officially undetermined.”

“On behalf of the men and women of the Lowell Fire Department, I want to extend our continued heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of this innocent child,” Charron said. “They haven’t left our thoughts for a moment since that tragic day two weeks ago.”

Through the joint investigation, officials said they identified a shared first-floor porch at the rear of the building as the fire’s point of origin and they recovered “abundant evidence” of cigarette butts in the area.

Additionally, officials said there was no evidence of criminal conduct or that the fire was started intentionally. However, it was difficult to determine a conclusive cause given the “extensive damage and shared nature of the ground-floor porch in a multi-resident dwelling,” according to the press release.

Officials said an examination of the scene, witness interviews and video footage were used as a part of their investigation.

Lowell firefighters responded to the fire at 27-29 Maude St. shortly before 2:40 p.m. March 3. Flames engulfed the three-story, multifamily structure, forcing firefighters to sound a third alarm within minutes of their arrival.

It was announced over the emergency radio broadcast about 4:15 p.m. that the blaze was under control.

When firefighters arrived on scene, they encountered heavy smoke and flames. Firefighters began rescuing occupants from the building, including three children, from a third-floor porch using ground and aerial ladders.

The first responding company included a Portuguese-speaking firefighter who was able to communicate with residents during the crucial first few minutes and learned a young child was unaccounted for. The 4-year-old girl tragically died and was later located within the residence. One adult suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

Last week, the child was identified as Pietra Emanuelle Silva Araujo. She was born in Governador, Valaderes, Brazil, where she spent the first three years of her life, according to her obituary on the McDonough Funeral Home’s website. It was only this past summer when Pietra’s family settled in Lowell.

Mayor Sokhary Chau and city officials have since launched a fundraiser to assist victims of the fire that can be donated to Community Teamwork Inc. through a PayPal account.

Donations are tax deductible and corporate donations are welcome. For more information or questions about how to help, contact Chau’s office at 978-970-4040.

Ostroskey said smoking materials cause more residential fire deaths than “all other known causes combined.”

“As we head into spring, we’re urging everyone to please be careful with any open flame or burning object on exterior porches, balconies, and stairways. We know this building had working smoke alarms inside, but a fire on the outside of a building can grow undetected until it’s too late, putting everyone at risk,” Ostroskey added.

Fire officials said smokers should use caution when extinguishing cigarettes and other materials. Dropping cigarette butts in planters, grinding them on railings or flicking them along the side of a building could ignite dry leaves, mulch and other flammable materials.

Instead, fire officials urged using a sturdy ashtray with water or sand, and ensuring the lit material is fully extinguished.

The press release cited National Fire Protection Association Standard 921 as the national bar for fire investigation based on the scientific method. Under this standard, a finding of “undetermined” is required when investigators cannot establish a single cause with an acceptable level of certainty, to the exclusion of all other potential causes.

The origin and cause of the fire were jointly investigated by the Lowell Fire Department, Lowell Police Department, the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/31JWSxI