- Department of Fire Services
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Jake Wark, Public Information Officer
AYER — An early morning fire that claimed an older adult’s life in Ayer this weekend highlights the need for working smoke alarms, said Ayer Fire Chief Timothy P. Johnston, Ayer Police Chief Brian Gill, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan. Investigators found no working smoke alarms in the apartment of origin.
“On behalf of the Ayer Fire Department, I want to express our condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Chief Johnston. “Our thoughts are with them in their time of loss, and we want to remind everyone how important it is to have working smoke alarms on every level of every home to avoid tragedies like this one.”
“Almost half of fire deaths take place at night, when most people are sleeping,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Smoke alarms can alert you to a nighttime fire, but only if they’re working properly. Test them once a month, change alkaline batteries twice a year, and replace the alarm after 10 years.”
Ayer firefighters responded to the area of the Zodiac Village Apartments following a 9-1-1 call at 2:26 am on March 19. On arrival, they found and extinguished a fire in a first-floor apartment in a two-story, multi-unit building. One person, an older adult, was removed from the apartment and later succumbed to his injuries. There were no other injuries. The fire departments of Devens and Shirley provided mutual aid.
The origin and cause of the fire were investigated by the Ayer Fire Department, the Ayer Police Department, the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office. They were assisted by the Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit. Investigators found no evidence of foul play and determined that the fire started in the area of a utility closet within the apartment, where multiple causes could not be ruled out, including combustible items too close to the water heater and a malfunction or electrical event.
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