Solofra, a 75-year-old woman reported for smoking during oxygen therapy and starting a fire in the ward.

Avellino – The recklessness of a 75-year-old patient admitted to the Agostino Landolfi hospital in Solofra, in the province of Avellino, could have turned into a real tragedy.

The woman, while undergoing oxygen therapy, recklessly lit a cigarette directly in her hospital bed. The fatal contact between the flame and the oxygen being delivered created a sudden blaze, which engulfed the elderly woman and immediately ignited the sheets.

The fire threatened to quickly spread to the entire room and the rest of the ward. The disaster was averted by the timely intervention of the nursing staff on duty. The nurses, who rushed to the scene with the facility's fire extinguishers, managed to put out the initial blaze before it could spread throughout the ward, saving everyone on the scene.

The Fire Department then arrived on the scene to complete safety measures and clear the area affected by the accident. Fortunately, no structural damage was reported to the hospital building, nor were any other patients admitted to the ward suffering from smoke inhalation. Following their investigation, the Carabinieri reported the elderly smoker for suspected arson.