Dear Editor,

My house was the house involved in the "Small fire burns home in Highland Park," as reported in the Home News Tribune on June 11, 2003. By the time I arrived on the scene, my house was in the wonderful hands of the Highland Park and New Brunswick Fire Departments. Lucky for me, my husband, our dog, and our house, workmen were working outside our home and reported the fire.

The Home News Tribune article concluded by saying the "fire was accidental but the cause is still under investigation." I am writing to inform you that a cause has been determined. According to one of the fire inspectors, the cause of the fire was probably that a bird picked up a cigarette butt that had not been fully extinguished from outside, and brought it back to a nest that I did not know existed under a roof eave.

Ironically, I have been an anti-tobacco advocate for many years. Yes, my family, friends, and colleagues have been cracking a litany of jokes. Thankfully I can laugh because my family and home are safe, but cigarette litter is not really all that funny. According to cigarettelitter.org, trillions of cigarette butts are littered around the world every year. They report cigarettes are the most littered item in America," and around the world. Besides being a fire hazard, cigarette butts are not completely biodegradable. In addition to beautification and environmental challenges imposed by cigarette litter in our communities, cleaning-up cigarette litter is costly. Please, if you must smoke, dispose of your butts properly, make sure they are fully extinguished, to help avoid house fires and environmental problems.

Robyn Shumer

shumerrb@umdnj.edu
University of Medicine & Dentistry
School of Public Health - Office of Public Health Practice

Hi John,

You can definitely post my letter.

Have a great day, ~Robyn

"The body was in the garage of Virginia Beiser, 85, and Robert Adams, 84, who died March 15 in a house fire that investigators determined was ignited by a cigarette Beiser was smoking in bed."

Los Angeles Times (California) - April 6, 2004

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/state/la_me_yucca6apr06,1,898132.story?coll=la_news_state

"Police said Campbell died at the Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla at 2 a.m., some 10 1/2 hours after the 3:30 p.m. fire. He had third-degree burns over much of his body, police said. It appears a dropped cigarette ignited Campbell's clothing after he fell asleep while smoking in a lounge chair in his second-floor apartment, police said. The fire was very confined, the damage to his apartment being mostly from smoke."

Journal News (New York) - March 31, 2004

http://www.thejournalnews.com/newsroom/033104/b0131osborn.html

"Weese's body was found on the floor between his bed and the bedroom door. His body was burned beyond recognition. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:30 a.m. Feb. 7. The State Fire Marshall listed the official cause of the fire as undetermined, but investigators believe the cause was Weese falling asleep or passing out in his bed while he was smoking a cigarette."

Daily Times (Illinois) - April 6, 2004

http://www.pekintimes.com/articles/2004/03/27/news/news1.txt

"A patient at an eastern New Orleans nursing home suffered burns on his face and chest Saturday after he caught fire while smoking and using an oxygen tank, the New Orleans Fire Department said."

Times-Picayune (Louisiana) - April 4, 2004

http://www.nola.com/news/t_p/index.ssf?/base/news_2/1081072544107950.xml

Official: Smoking in bed
is cause of fatal fire

Friday, September 22, 2006

The Vindicator, Youngstown, Ohio, USA

CHAMPION - Smoking in bed is being blamed for a Monday night fire at a North Park Avenue rooming house in which a 43-year-old woman was killed.

Chuck Hanni, an investigator with the State Fire Marshal's Office, said Lisa Betts died because a lighted cigarette caught the bed on fire. Hanni said it is known that Betts frequently smoked in bed.

There were smoke detectors in the house at 5473 N. Park, but there were no batteries in them, Hanni added.

He said Betts died of smoke inhalation, and she also had second-degree burns all over her body.

Betts had gone to her second-floor bedroom to rest while dinner was being prepared. About 9 p.m., homeowner Judy Evans went upstairs to tell Betts that dinner was ready when Evans smelled fumes.

Evans and a tenant, Charles Mahan, put wet towels around them and attempted to go upstairs. They were driven away by flames and heat.

One neighbor complained that it took several hours for Hanni to arrive at the scene. Hanni said his log shows that he was notified at his Austintown home of the fire and arrived in Champion about an hour later.

Story source link: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/291060012675278.php

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