Smoking in bed blamed for fatal fire Saturday
Early morning fire
occurred at Route 36
mobile home park
HAZLET — A mobile-home fire caused by smoking in bed took the life of a 38-year-old township woman early Saturday, according to Monmouth County Prosecutor John Kaye.
According to Kaye, the victim, whom he identified as Michele Miick, was found in her bed in a rear bedroom of her trailer.
Hazlet Detective Jeff Miller said police responded to a 5:50 a.m. call on Aug. 11 reporting a structure fire at 72 Locust Grove Trailer Park, off Route 36, and found the victim in the rear bedroom.
Miller said Monday "positive identification has yet to be confirmed and is pending dental record results and positive identification by family. She recently had some dental work done, so we’re in the process of tracking down her dentist."
He said the fire was extinguished within five to 10 minutes, and an assessment of the situation led police to believe that the accident "was a result of the victim smoking in bed."
Kaye said Monday that a witness had come forward, shedding light on the situation.
"This was definitely a case of a woman who was a heavy smoker. That night apparently she was smoking. She had a guest who left because (the victim) was falling asleep. That guest took a cab home minutes before the fire broke out and a neighbor called the police and fire departments. This person has come forward as a very good witness and has helped tremendously with the case. The same person confirmed the woman was left the way she was found — in bed with a cigarette. We know for certain that the source of origin (of the fire) was unquestionably a cigarette," he said.
Added Kaye: "What happens is, in many cases, people get tired and climb into bed to unwind, have a cigarette and watch a little television before dozing off. The cigarette falls, and the situation ends up being a fatality."