BANGOR, Mich. — Last week, one unnamed man, 65, died as the result of an apartment fire in Bangor on Cemetery Road according to Bangor Community Fire Department.
Chief Babcock said, “On behalf of the Bangor Community Fire Department, I offer my condolences to the family and friends of the victim. I ask everyone in our community to make sure they have working smoke alarms installed on every level of their home before going to sleep tonight. This is the second fatal fire in less than a year in the City of Bangor caused by the improper use or disposal of smoking materials. In both fires, the lack of functioning smoke alarms is believed to be a contributing factor in the deaths.”
Since 2020 Bangor has experienced two fatal fires both of which started due to smoking while on medical oxygen. When people use the medical oxygen, it increases the amount of oxygen already present making the start and spread of a fire easier.
Those in need of smoke alarms can obtain them from the Bangor Community Fire Department according to Babcock.
“Keep oxygen cylinders and tubing at least 5 feet from a heat source or electrical devices. Never use a sparking toy, an open flame such as a match or lighter, a fireplace or stove, smoking materials or any other device fueled by gas, kerosene, wood, or coal where medical oxygen is in use.” Babcock added, “There is no safe way to smoke when medical oxygen is in use in the home. Turning off the oxygen is not enough because your clothes, hair, bedding and the tubing soak up the oxygen and become oxygen-enriched.”
