Waltham Fatal Fire Likely Caused By Smoking Material Or Candle

WALTHAM, MA — It may have been smoking material or a candle that caused the fire last week that resulted in the death of a Waltham man, according to fire officials.

The 2-Alarm fire on June 4 killed Wayne D. Dawson, 54, who lived on the third floor of the Rumford Avenue home. Dawson was rescued by firefighters, but later was pronounced dead. His brother managed to escape.

The final cause of the fire was ruled “officially undetermined but most likely due to smoking materials,” according to the State Fire Marshal's office.

“The victim was known to smoke both cigarettes and marijuana and witnesses report many burns on the bedding in the past from smoking materials,” according to a statement from the State Fire Marshal's office.

Officials noted that most of the smoke and CO alarms were missing from the home.

Investigators found mounting plates and dangling wires for hard wired alarms but no sign of alarms nearby or in the debris. Fire officials say working smoke detectors are critical to saving lives in a fire and encourage people to make sure theirs are installed and work.

Officials say the fire started at 6:45 p.m., Monday June 4 in a third floor bedroom where Dawson lived. Investigators were looking at improper use or disposal of smoking materials as the most likely cause, but a candle could also have possibly caused the fire, which is why the official cause remains undetermined.

The Waltham Fire and Police Departments and State Police assigned to both the Office of the State Fire Marshal and to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office investigated the fire.

In 2016 ( the most recent data available) there were 45 fatal fires that killed 56 civilians, including 30 men, 22 women and four people under age 18, according to the State Fire Marshal's office. No firefighters died in the line of duty that year.

According to the state data, 19 fires were started by smoking materials, making that cause the leading cause of residential fire deaths, at 43 percent of home fire deaths compared with 2 percent caused by candles.

Some 32 percent of fires in 2016 were ruled "undetermined."

Wayne Dawson was born and raised in Brighton, but had lived in Waltham for the past 19 years and worked as a painter with his brothers. Wayne enjoyed going fishing and taking his dog Jazzy for walks, according to his obituary. He leaves behind his mother and four siblings and their children.

Previously: 2-Alarm Waltham Fire That Left One Man Dead

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