Press Release  Smoking Fire in South Hadley Prompts Safety Reminder

SOUTH HADLEY — An early-morning structure fire in South Hadley last weekend most likely started with smoking materials, said South Hadley Fire District 1 Chief Thomas Stark and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine.

“Fortunately, no one was injured in this incident,” said Chief Stark. “Still, it’s a strong reminder for smokers to use caution and care with smoking materials. Tossing cigarette butts into leaves or mulch, dropping them in planters, or stubbing them out on a railing can start a fire that grows and spreads before anyone is aware of the danger.”

“Massachusetts fire departments have reported nearly 9,000 smoking fires over the past five years,” said State Fire Marshal Davine. “If you still smoke or have guests who do, always use a heavy ashtray with water or sand to extinguish cigarette butts. Put it out, all the way, every time.”

South Hadley Fire District 1 responded to the fire at 3 Warner St. at about 5:15 on Sunday morning. On arrival, firefighters observed smoke and flames on the front porch and three occupants who had escaped safely. Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to the main structure and extinguished it with a hand line.

The origin and cause of the fire were investigated by South Hadley Fire District 1 and State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office. Based on witness interviews and an examination of the scene, they determined that the fire started in the area of the enclosed front porch and identified careless disposal of smoking materials as the most likely cause.

Smoking fires in Massachusetts caused 175 fire service injuries, 128 civilian injuries, 41 civilian deaths, and more than $100 million in damages between 2019 and 2023.

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