Press Release  Smoking Materials Most Likely Cause of Fatal Lowell Fire

LOWELL — Lowell Fire Chief Phillip A.J. Charron, Lowell Police Chief Raymond Kelly Richardson, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, and Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan announced today that the cause of a fire that claimed the life of a four-year-old girl on Maude Street will be officially undetermined, but the most likely cause was the improper disposal of smoking materials on a first-floor exterior porch.

“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,” said Chief Charron. “They haven’t left our thoughts for a moment since that tragic day two weeks ago.”

“Smoking materials cause more residential fire deaths than all other known causes combined,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “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.”

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

“Use a sturdy ashtray with water or sand and be sure to put it out, all the way, every time,” they said.

The three-alarm March 3 fire at 27-29 Maude St. was first reported through multiple 9-1-1 calls beginning at 2:37 pm. Lowell firefighters found heavy smoke and flames on arrival and immediately began rescuing occupants, including three children, from a third-floor porch using ground and aerial ladders. A Portuguese-speaking firefighter in the first responding company was able to communicate with residents during these crucial first few minutes and learned that a young child was unaccounted for; tragically, she was later located within the residence and had passed away. One other person, an adult, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.

The origin and cause of the fire were jointly investigated by the Lowell Fire Department, Lowell Police Department, State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Middlesex District Attorney’s office. Based on an examination of the scene, witness interviews, video footage, and other evidence, investigators identified a shared first-floor porch at the rear of the building as the fire’s point of origin and recovered abundant evidence of cigarette butts in this area. They found no evidence of criminal conduct or an intentional act but could not conclusively establish the cause in light of the extensive damage and shared nature of the ground-floor porch in a multi-resident dwelling.

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

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