Space heater seen as cause of deadly Dorchester fire

(Zizi family photos)

Rebecca Zizi, 9, and Rooben Zizi, 11, the two children who died in the Dorchester fire last weekend.

By John R. Ellement, Globe Staff

Investigators have determined that a space heater was the cause of the fire in Boston's Dorchester section last weekend that killed two children, Boston fire officials said today.

Fire investigators traced the origin of the fire to a bedroom where the children were sleeping. They examined the burn pattern and eliminated all other sources of ignition, settling on the space heater as the cause, Fire Chief Kevin McCurtain said.

Rebecca Zizi, 9, and her brother, Rooben, 11, died in the blaze at 44 Bellevue St., which broke out at around midnight Friday.

Family members have said the space heater wasn't being used when the fire occurred. But MacCurtain said that's what the evidence showed.

"We wouldn't make this determination lightly," he said. "There's no blame for the family. This was an accidental fire."

He said the space heater was in a bedroom where three mattresses were on the floor and four kids were sleeping. The fire began when some bedding caught fire, MacCurtain said.

MacCurtain, who was joined at a news conference by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and a representative of the National Fire Protection Association, urged residents to be careful using space heaters, particularly this week when the temperature is expected to drop into the single digits.

They said space heaters should not be used when people are asleep and must be kept at least 3 feet away from flammable materials, such as papers and bedding.

Two other families, living on the second and third floors of the building, escaped the fire.

• Comment
• Permalink
• Email