Lit Cigarette, Oxygen Tank Blamed In Fire

LISBON - A woman who lit a cigarette while using an oxygen tank sparked a blaze that left three Lisbon residents homeless.

Lisbon Volunteer firefighters say the fire started when a woman smoking a cigarette accidentally ignited the hose to her oxygen tank.

Firefighters responded to reports of a structure fire at the residence of Arlene Snyder, county Route 28A, Lisbon, at approximately 3:30 a.m. Saturday.

The property was owned by Joseph E. King, of Pleasant Avenue, Ogdensburg.

Lisbon Fire Chief Jon A. McLear said he does not believe Mr. King or Ms. Snyder had insurance.

Mr. McLear said the home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived. He said 26 Lisbon firefighters responded along with members of the Heuvelton and Waddington fire departments. Morley volunteers were on standby at the Lisbon station. He said the fire was extinguished quickly but the home sustained irreparable damage.

"We knocked it down pretty quick, but it was a total loss. We saved half of the trailer but nothing that would be worth fixing. There was a lot of smoke and water damage" he said.

He said Ms. Snyder stated she was smoking a cigarette when it ignited her oxygen hose. According to the chief, she panicked and dropped the hose causing, the fire to spread throughout the home.

Mr. McLear said the trailer contained two or three oxygen tanks that exploded during the blaze.

Two other occupants, who were not identified, were in the house trailer at the time of the fire, but all three managed to escape the home before firefighters arrived on scene.

"It's a good thing they made it out, cause there wasn't much room for heroics on this one. It was engulfed when we arrived." Mr. McLear said.

The fire was knocked down within a few hours, no injuries were reported. Mr. McLear said fires resulting from cigarette smoking and oxygen tanks are fairly common and that the practice is very dangerous. "It happens all the time actually. When that flame hits the oxygen, it goes right up," he said.