The explosion of an oxygen tank is believed to be the cause of a fatal structure fire, just before 8 a.m. on Friday, July 17.
Pahrump Valley Fire and Rescue Services Chief Scott Lewis said the fire occurred along the 7500 block of Quarterhorse Avenue.
“As crews were responding, they were notified of a language barrier with the reporting party, however it was confirmed that it was a working structure fire, with the possibility of two people who were handicapped and trapped within the structure,” Lewis said. “As crews responded, they prepared for a potential rescue assignment. Upon their arrival, Engine-3 found heavy fire showing from approximately 50 to 60 percent of the structure. They observed that one of the occupants, a female confined to a wheelchair, was in a safe area. She was assisted out by citizens in the area.”
Lewis also said there was a further report that an older male, who was also handicapped, was unable to egress out of the structure.
Blitz attack
“Crews commenced a rescue assignment and as one of the firefighters entered the structure, he encountered heavy smoke and high heat,” Lewis noted. “He made his way to the area, when two windows broke out as a result of the fire and introduced a fresh supply of air, which went directly from smoke to fire. As a result, he had to back out of the structure. Crews then faced a rapidly developing fully involved structure. They commenced a defensive exterior attack with what we call a “blitz attack,” which is large amounts of water in a short period of time.”
Once the bulk of the fire was quickly knocked down, Lewis said crews then re-entered the structure and found the floors of the home compromised.
“They had to use great caution and they then discovered that the occupant was in the structure and did not survive the injuries,” he said. “Crews immediately protected the scene for investigative purposes and requested a deputy state fire marshal and a Nye County Sheriff’s Office detective to be assigned to the incident. The scene was protected until their arrival.”
Probable cause
Additionally, Lewis said the initial investigation and witness statements suggested that the deceased person was actually the area of origin.
“It appears that we are investigating the high probability that there was an accidental ignition of oxygen from improper smoking,” he noted. “When the other disabled party made an attempt to obtain some water to help douse the fire, which involved the individual, by the time they got back, the room was fully involved. That created a delay in the notification to the fire department, and as many of our other fires, this fire occurred in a no-hydrant area.”
As a result, Lewis said crews responded with multiple water tender apparatus to provide a steady supply of water in order to place the fire under control.
“The investigation continues, but again, it appears to be an accidental fire, related to improperly smoking while on oxygen,” he noted. “We were out on the fire grounds for a total of five hours. We kept a skeletal crew there for investigative purposes, to assist with the investigation and the recovery of the victim. There is every indication that the individual was the area of origin.”
Back in January, fire crews responded to a similar incident where a man died as a result of smoking while using oxygen.
“As a reminder, if you are utilizing oxygen, it is an oxidizer and it can ignite,” Lewis warned. “It’s the absolute worst thing you can do. There is just no protecting you because the immediate result of such an action can be fatal as it was in this case.”
Contact reporter Selwyn Harris at sharris@pvtimes.com. On Twitter: @pvtimes