Accidental cooking fires such as this one are the leading cause of fire statewide, and the leading cause of fire injuries, particularly among people age 65 or older.
Washington House Apartments,. 16 Washington St., the scene of an apartment fire Monday night that caused significant damage.
WESTFIELD - The state Fire Marshal's Office has concluded the fire Monday night at Washington House apartments that displaced 134 tenants and caused significant damage was the result of a burner on an electric stove being left on accidentally.
Investigators assigned to the fire marshal, Westfield police and fire departments and a private insurance company spent three days looking for a cause to the fire, which happened at about 10 p.m. Monday. Officials with the Westfield Housing Authority and electrical experts also took part.
A statement issued Friday by Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan and Westfield Fire Chief Mary Regan said investigators have determined a burner was left on unintentionally and it caused materials nearby to ignite.
The statement puts the estimated cost of the damage to the building at $750,000.
Daniel J. Kelly, executive director of the Westfield Housing Authority, which owns the four-story building, said this week that the total cost of repairing significant structural damage to the building could reach as high as $1 million.
After meeting with fire officials Friday, Kelly said knowing the cause "doesn't change things. We still got a lot of work ahead of us and will take a lot of money."
He added "I'm just glad (the fire) wasn't the result of our negligence and that no one got hurt."
Coan said accidental cooking fires are the leading cause of fire statewide, and the leading cause of fire injuries, particularly among people age 65 or older.
In 2010, there were 9,806 residential fires statewide that involved cooking, resulting in one death, injuries to 95 civilians and 32 firefighters and nearly $7 million in property damage.
Most of the 134 tenants have been allowed to return to their apartments but as many as 25 face long-term displacement.
Kelly said at the moment there are 21 units that are uninhabitable but he hopes to have three ready for occupancy by Monday, and he hopes to have the number of displaced tenants down to 18 or 20 by the middle of the week.
Some of those displaced are staying with family, while the housing authority is putting others up in nearby motels, he said.
At the moment there are no vacancies in other housing authority properties, but Kelly said as vacancies develop, those still in motels will be relocated. Other housing authorities in neighboring communities have also called to make vacant units available, he said.