Officials say smoking materials caused fatal fire

A fire official said smoking materials were to blame for the house fire that claimed the life a Bothell woman shortly after midnight on Dec. 8.

The Snohomish County Fire Marshall's Office made the determination of the cause of the blaze, according to Autumn Waite, public information officer for Snohomish County Fire District 7.

Neither District 7 nor the county medical examiner has released any information about the victim.

District 7 firefighters responded to reports of smoke and flames coming from a home in the 1900 block of 172nd Place SE in unincorporated Snohomish County.

The incident took place north of Thrasher's Corner, close to Mill Creek, in what fire officials described as the May's Pond neighborhood.

While responding, crews were notified that neighbors believed one occupant was still inside. Upon arrival, crews found smoke and flames coming from the home. As firefighters conducted a preliminary search of the second story, they found a deceased female in a bedroom.

There was no one else in the home at the time of the fire.

“A tragedy like this affects the whole community,” said Fire Chief Richard Eastman. “Our hearts go out to the family and friends that lost a loved one today.”

Overall, approximately 23 fire personnel responded from Fire District 7.

For smokers, Waite offered the following safety tips provided by the National Fire Protection Association:

● Always be alert.

● Use deep, wide ashtrays on a sturdy table.

● Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out, and dousing in water or sand is the best way to do that.

● Check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.

● Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used.

● If you smoke, choose fire-safe cigarettes. They are less likely to cause fires.

● Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children's sight and reach.

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