Press Release  Victim Succumbs to Injuries in Springfield Fire

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, Springfield Police Superintendent Cheryl Clapprood, and Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni announced today that a woman rescued from a Worcester Street fire last night has succumbed to her injuries. The preliminary investigation indicates that there were no working smoke alarms at the scene.

“On behalf of the Springfield Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones,” said Commissioner Calvi. “I also want to remind everyone in our community how important it is to have working smoke alarms and a practiced home escape plan that accounts for two ways out. You may have less than three minutes to escape a fire at home, and smoke alarms are critical to alerting you to the danger. Everyone in your family should know what to do and where to go in the event of a fire.”

Springfield firefighters responded to a 911 call from a neighbor reporting a fire just after 10:00 last night. On arrival, they found heavy fire coming from the first floor of a two-story home at 1342 Worcester St. Firefighters located the victim, a woman in her 20s, unresponsive inside. She was given immediate medical aid at the scene and transported to a hospital, where she later died. Her name is not being released pending a formal identification by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. Four other residents were displaced from the residence.

“While the cause of this fire is still under investigation, we know that cooking causes more residential fires than all other causes combined,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Please remember to stand by your pan when cooking on the stovetop. In the event of a fire, turn off the heat and put a lid on it to smother the flames. Don’t move a burning pan or try to extinguish it with water.”

The fire is being jointly investigated by the Springfield Arson & Bomb Squad, Springfield Police detectives, and State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office and Hampden DA’s office. They jointly determined that the fire began in the kitchen on the first floor of the home, and they continue to investigate the exact cause.

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