Careless Smoking Causes Two Fires In Same Apartment, Days Apart
By: Marlisa Goldsmith
Updated: March 5, 2012
A woman is dead as a result of yesterday's apartment fire, which was caused from careless smoking.
It is something Abilene Fire Department deals with regularly, but it is not common for it to happen twice, at the same location, within days apart.
"They had had a mattress that caught fire because a female resident at that location had fallen asleep in bed with a lit cigarette and caught the mattress on fire," says J Sanders of Abilene Fire Department.
That was fire number one.
Three days later, a fire was started by careless smoking yet again, in that same apartment.
"We believe that they've pin-pointed the location to the male sitting in a recliner type chair and catching that chair on fire," says Sanders.
In both instances, the residents were breaking regulations.
Sanders explains, "As far as how people regulate what they do inside their apartments and their homes, we can't really tell them what they can and can't do. That is usually taken care of by the apartment complex."
Although Anson Park Apartment staff declined to go on camera, they told KRBC there is an ordinance in place that bans smoking inside their apartment units.
"It was under the community addendums and rules," explains Rebecca Wright.
Wright moved to the complex last month and remembers being told about the ordinance, "They basically told me and it was written on the paper in there that you can not smoke inside your apartment. If you smoke you have to go outside to do so."
Neighbors in the complex hope the repeated mistakes will be a lesson to everyone, and the Abilene Fire Department urges families to make sure they use precaution.
Sanders says, "If you're in a situation where you know you could cause a fire or conditions are right for a fire, don't smoke in those areas."
It is something Abilene Fire Department deals with regularly, but it is not common for it to happen twice, at the same location, within days apart.
"They had had a mattress that caught fire because a female resident at that location had fallen asleep in bed with a lit cigarette and caught the mattress on fire," says J Sanders of Abilene Fire Department.
That was fire number one.
Three days later, a fire was started by careless smoking yet again, in that same apartment.
"We believe that they've pin-pointed the location to the male sitting in a recliner type chair and catching that chair on fire," says Sanders.
In both instances, the residents were breaking regulations.
Sanders explains, "As far as how people regulate what they do inside their apartments and their homes, we can't really tell them what they can and can't do. That is usually taken care of by the apartment complex."
Although Anson Park Apartment staff declined to go on camera, they told KRBC there is an ordinance in place that bans smoking inside their apartment units.
"It was under the community addendums and rules," explains Rebecca Wright.
Wright moved to the complex last month and remembers being told about the ordinance, "They basically told me and it was written on the paper in there that you can not smoke inside your apartment. If you smoke you have to go outside to do so."
Neighbors in the complex hope the repeated mistakes will be a lesson to everyone, and the Abilene Fire Department urges families to make sure they use precaution.
Sanders says, "If you're in a situation where you know you could cause a fire or conditions are right for a fire, don't smoke in those areas."
