Southeast Montana News

The Billings Fire Prevention Bureau has issued a warning following the investigation of two deadly medical oxygen-related fires that occurred within a short timeframe. Deputy Fire Marshal Andrew McLain emphasized the severity of these incidents, stating, "These fires are rare. We did have two in the last month. People can do this all their life and it never happens. But once it does, it’s catastrophic."

In one tragic event, a lit cigarette near an oxygen tank led to a fire that claimed the life of a Billings resident on March 15, 2024. Another fire on April 2, 2024, involved an open flame near a nasal cannula providing oxygen, resulting in severe burns to the victim who later succumbed to their injuries.

McLain highlighted the dangerous combination of factors that can lead to such fires, explaining, “For a fire to take place, you need fuel, oxygen, and a heat source. In our atmosphere right now, there’s 21% oxygen. With nasal cannulas, you have 100% oxygen flowing through that tube, so you have the oxygen there, the tube is the fuel, and the heat source is either the lighter or the cigarette. Once those things combine, you have a fast, hot fire.”

To prevent such tragedies, McLain advised smokers using medical oxygen to ensure that no lit cigarettes or heat sources are in proximity to the oxygen supply. He emphasized, “The safest way to smoke with a nasal cannula and oxygen is to turn the oxygen off... The cigarette can get close enough to that to ignite your clothes or the tube on fire.”

The Billings Fire Prevention Bureau has also conducted training sessions to raise awareness about the risks of nasal cannula fires and the importance of fire safety precautions when using medical oxygen. For more information and resources on fires involving home medical oxygen, individuals are encouraged to visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website and watch informational videos demonstrating the potential dangers associated with improper oxygen use.