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Date: 1/11/2023
BRIMFIELD – Following a joint investigation, local and state officials determined that a space heater was to blame for a fire that killed one man on Dec. 22.
Brimfield Fire Chief Don Contois, State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, and Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni made the announcement via press release on Jan. 4, pairing it with a reminder to use caution when using heating elements such as space heaters.
“Space heaters need space,” said Contois in a statement. “If you’re using one at home, keep anything that can burn at least three feet away on all sides and be sure to turn them off when you leave the room or go to sleep.”
According to information provided by the state’s Department of Fire Services, investigators from the Brimfield Fire Department, the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the state Fire Marshal’s Office, and state police assigned to the Gulluni’s office found numerous space heaters in the single-family lakeside home. The investigation determined that the fire began in the living room with a portable propane-fueled space heater. Additionally, no working smoke or carbon monoxide (CO) detectors were found.
According to Contois, the fire was first reported at about 5:15 p.m. and the Brimfield Fire Department responded to find heavy smoke pushing out of the single-family lakeside home. A second alarm was struck on arrival, followed shortly by a third, prompting response from mutual aid assistance from Brookfield, Charlton, Holland, Palmer, Southbridge, Sturbridge, Monson, Wales and Warren. In all, it took responding firefighter an hour to knock the fire down.
The name of the deceased has not been released by Gulluni’s office as of press time, however a GoFundMe page has identified the victim as Bobby Gentile. One additional person, identified on the GoFundMe page as Alan Kastner was displaced, as well as a dog. The home was deemed a total loss.
The Department of Fire Services reiterated that smoke almarms should be replaced every 10 years and carbon monoxide alarms, ever five to seven years. Modern devices have a manufacturing date printed on the back. Batteries should be replaced twice a year in units that require them.
“Heating equipment is the second-leading cause of residential fires and the main source of carbon monoxide at home,” Ostroskey and Contois said in a joint statement. “Smoke and CO alarms are your family’s first line of defense, so be sure you have them on every level of your home and test them once a month to be sure they’re working properly.”