Smoking in bed caused fatal fire

WARREN — The Warren Fire Department has determined the cause of a Dec. 12 house fire to be accidental and related to smoking in bed.

Warren Fire Chief Ken Nussle said the fire, which killed Robert Stevens, 63, of 1822 Hamilton Street Southwest and injured Patricia Dematteo, 59, started as a result of Stevens smoking in bed.

Stevens, who had limited mobility and slept in a bed in the living room, was determined to be dead at the scene, Nussle said.

Laboratory tests conducted by the Ohio Fire Marshal’s office determined that no accelerant contributed to the fire, Nussle said.

Dematteo was in an upstairs bedroom and went downstairs at about 3 a.m. to discover Stevens’ bed on fire. She tried to put out the fire with her hands but was unable to, Nussle said.

Dematteo suffered burns, was treated at Akron Children’s Hospital Burn Center and released a couple days later.