Deadly fire serves as tragic reminder of importace of smoke, CO alarms

WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - As Thanksgiving and the winter approaches, it is time to remember the importance of carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.

92 year-old Raymond Megaro died after a fire in his Westfield home Monday morning. The Victorian home did not have any smoke or carbon monoxide alarms.

Deputy Westfield Fire Chief Patrick Egloff says that people should make an effort to ensure that they and their elderly relatives are properly protected.

"Tomorrow when they're at Thanksgiving dinner, everybody gets together, hey grandmother grandfather they don't have detectors, let's get them in there,” Egloff said.

“I can honestly say that if there were working smoke detectors in this gentleman's home, there's a good chance he would be alive today."

Monday's fire was caused by a faulty furnace. Heating systems are the leading cause of carbon monoxide poisoning and a common cause of fires.