The Billings Fire Prevention Bureau is reminding everyone of the dangers of having a lit cigarette or open flame near medical oxygen, after investigating two deaths less than three weeks apart.
The bureau has determined a lit cigarette near a flowing oxygen tank contributed to a fire that resulted in the death of a Billings resident on March 15, 2024.
The bureau also responded to a fire on April 2, 2024 that involved an open flame near a nasal cannula that was providing oxygen to the home’s occupant. The cannula ignited and caused severe burns to the victim. They succumbed to their injuries the following day.
“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,” explained Deputy Fire Marshal Andrew McLain.
The fire bureau recently hosted a training session for the Billings Fire Department that focused on nasal cannula fires. Once the tube ignites, the flame moves fast. It also has the power to continue burning under water.
“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,” McLain explained.
Smokers using medical oxygen need to make sure a lit cigarette or any other heat source, such as a lighter, is nowhere near by when their oxygen is in use.
“The safest way to smoke with a nasal cannula and oxygen is to turn the oxygen off. Some people take the oxygen off their nose and put it on their lap. The oxygen will saturate your clothes and it’s still flowing. The cigarette can get close enough to that to ignite your clothes or the tube on fire,” McLain said.
For more information and data on fires involving home medical oxygen, visit the National Fire Protection Association’s website.
Click here to watch an informational video and see the nasal cannula demonstrations.