Victim identified in deadly Arlington fire blamed on a space heater

ARLINGTON, Mass. — The person killed in a fire at an elderly housing complex in Arlington has been identified as an 88-year-old woman.

The Middlesex District Attorney’s office says Bridget Doyle died after being rescued from the fire which was apparently started by an electric baseboard heater. The heater either malfunctioned or was too close to flammable items, according to a news release from Arlington Fire Chief Kevin Kelley.

A second person was injured in the fire and about 16 people were displaced from the building at 54 Medford Street.

“On behalf of the Arlington Fire Department, I want to express our deepest condolences to the victim’s loved ones,” said Chief Kelley. “Her loss is a tragedy for the family and the community. Fortunately, smoke alarms and fire sprinklers in the building operated properly, alerting residents and containing the fire until our firefighters arrived to extinguish it. Without smoke alarms and sprinklers, this morning’s tragedy could have been even worse.”

The fire broke out at 4 a.m. Saturday on the third floor of the apartment complex, called Chestnut Manor. Residents on the third floor and below were told to evacuate.

Chief Kelley believes the woman who died was in the unit next to where the fire started in the seven-story building.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

A fund has been setup to help those affected by the fire. Money raised will be used to rehouse residents that have been displaced and to replace things that were lost in the fire. To donate to the Chestnut Manor Relief Fund, visit www.arlingtoncommunitycenter.org/chestnutmanor.

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