Deadly Rockland, Massachusetts fire was electrical, investigators say – NBC Boston

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 Vernon Street fire in the early morning hours of June 21.

When firefighters arrived, they found heavy flames and smoke coming from the rear of the house. One person had already managed to get out, but a second person was found unconscious inside. Despite the efforts of emergency crews, Martha Murphy, 87, died from her injuries in hospital.

Investigators said the fire started at or around a wall outlet in the back of the home. Nearby, they found an air conditioner and other electrical appliances plugged into a power strip, according to a joint statement from the Rockland Fire Department, Rockland Police Department and the Plymouth County Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities have stressed that heavy appliances such as air conditioners or space heaters should be plugged directly into a wall outlet: the energy required to operate them can overload an extension cord or power strip.

The fire chief said weather conditions made it difficult to fight the flames. They therefore called for additional reinforcements from 10 regional services.