WEST SPRINGFIELD — A Riverdale Street man was seriously injured Monday in a fire linked to smoking while using medical oxygen at home.
Read more DA: North Adams man charged with murder after telling cops he’d killed a relative
The circumstances of the fire were detailed Monday by West Springfield Fire Chief Christopher J. Bartone and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine.
“There’s no truly safe way to smoke, but smoking on home oxygen is especially dangerous,” Bartone said in a news release. “If you or someone you love uses home oxygen, please don’t smoke.”
The West Springfield Fire Department responded to an apartment building at 2071 Riverdale St. early Monday for a report of a fire. One resident, a man in his 70s, was injured and transported for medical care.
West Springfield fire investigators and State Police assigned the State Fire Marshal’s office in determining that the fire started in the man’s bedroom, according to the release.
They determined that it was accidental and was the result of smoking on home oxygen, based on an examination of the scene and witness interviews.
Read more Man shot and killed in Boston on Saturday night identified
MORE BY JIM KINNEY
DA: North Adams man charged with murder after telling cops he’d killed a relativeMay. 11, 2026, 5:58 p.m.
Mercy Medical was ‘months away’ from closing without Baystate takeover, lawmakers sayMay. 11, 2026, 5:12 p.m.
“Fires will start easier, grow faster, and burn hotter in an oxygen-rich environment,” Davine said in a statement. “Medical oxygen can saturate the user’s hair, clothing and bedding, putting them at great risk for severe injury.”
On average, three to five Massachusetts residents die each year in fires involving smoking and home oxygen.
More than a dozen people perished last year in fires linked to home oxygen, including 10 residents at the Gabriel House assisted living facility in Fall River.
Read more Tom Brady trolls Kevin Hart with child-size Knicks jersey
About the Author
