A fire that killed an elderly woman in Rockland, Massachusetts, was caused by an electrical event, fire officials said, adding that investigators found a power strip near where the blaze started.
The Rockland Fire Department responded to the fire on Vernon Street in the early morning hours of June 21.
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When firefighters arrived, they encountered heavy flames and smoke coming from the back of the home. One person had already made it out, but a second person was found unresponsive inside. Despite the efforts of emergency crews, 87-year-old Martha Murphy died of her injuries at the hospital
Fire investigators said the fire started at or around a wall outlet at the back of the home. Nearby, they found an air conditioner and other electrical appliances plugged into a power strip, according to a a joint statement from Rockland Fire, Rockland police and the Plymouth County District Attorney's Office
Officials stressed that heavy appliances such as air conditioners or space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet - the power needed for them can overload an extension cord or power strip.
The fire chief said the weather made it tough to fight the flames, so they called in additional backup from 10 area departments.
