Press Release  Fatal Middleborough Fire Most Likely Started with Smoking Materials

MIDDLEBOROUGH — Local and state officials believe the two-alarm fire that claimed a resident’s life yesterday most likely started with smoking materials, said Middleborough Fire Chief Owen Thompson, Middleborough Police Chief Robert Ferreira, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said.

District Attorney Cruz’s office identified the victim as 90-year-old Anne Tichelaar. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the exact cause and manner of her death.

“On behalf of the Middleborough Fire Department, I again want to express our heartfelt condolences to Ms. Tichelaar’s loved ones,” said Chief Thompson. “I also want to remind all our residents that smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in Massachusetts. It’s especially dangerous to smoke in bed. Please, if you smoke or have guests who do, always use a heavy ashtray with water or sand and put it out, all the way, every time.”

The Middleborough Fire Department responded to 72 Everett Street just after 2:50 am for a report of a house fire. Crews quickly arrived on scene and encountered heavy fire conditions in a two-story, multi-family home, with flames showing from multiple windows on the first floor. Firefighters immediately began attacking the fire and made entry to the home, where they located Ms. Tichelaar on the first floor. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

The origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Middleborough Fire Department, Middleborough Police Department, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s office. Preliminarily, they have determined that the fire began accidentally with smoking materials in the first-floor living room.

Investigators were supported by the Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit, which found no working smoke alarms in the home.

“Working smoke alarms are your first line of defense in an emergency,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “Please take a few minutes today to be sure you have them on every level of your home. Check the manufacturing date printed on the back of the device and replace it if it’s more than 10 years old. And test your alarms each month to be sure you and your loved ones are protected.”

The fire departments of Raynham, Bridgewater, Lakeville, and Carver provided mutual aid on the fireground. The Wareham Fire Department provided station coverage. The Department of Fire Services deployed a Rehab unit to support firefighter health and safety at the scene.

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