NASHVILLE, Tenn. (February 1, 2021) Nashville Fire Department Fire Investigators determined careless smoking caused a fire that killed a Hermitage woman inside her home at 922 Old Fountain Place on Saturday, January 30, 2021.
Around 1:10 am Metro DEC Dispatchers sent NFD personnel to the Old Fountain Place address. Engine 32 was first on scene. Firefighters found smoke coming out of the front of the building.
Our personnel made an aggressive attack of the fire and were able to put the fire out quickly. Personnel determined there was one person in the home who perished because of the fire. The victim was an adult female.
NFD Fire Investigators gathered information from the scene and people in the area. Investigators found evidence of smoking in the home. They determined based on the evidence the fire started in the bedrooms where the fire victim perished.
NFD Fire Investigators have classified the fire as accidental and caused by careless smoking.
According to the National Fire Protection Association:
- One in 20 home (5%) home structure fires were started by smoking materials. These fires caused almost one in four (23%) home fire deaths, and one in 10 (10%) home fire injuries.
- Smoking was the leading cause of home fire deaths for the five-year period of 2012-2016. Overall, one of every 31 home smoking material fires resulted in death.
- The leading area of origin for home smoking fires in 2012-2016 was an exterior balcony or open porch (18%).
- Forty-three percent of the deaths were caused by fires that started in the living room. One-third (34%) were caused by fires that began in the bedroom.
You can learn more information about home fires and smoking materials at the NFPA’s website.
