JOHN JOHNSON FILE PHOTO/GIRA HERALD: The GCSO has investigated two fatalities in an apparent home fire at Safford Ranch Mobile Home Park on Tuesday, January 24th.

The fire was started by a resident smoking while breathing oxygen

John Johnson

john johnson news@gmail.com

SAFFORD – Two elderly patients receiving home health care were found dead on Tuesday, January 24. A dead dog was also found.

Michael Rogers and Renee Dees were found dead at their Safford Ranch Mobile Home Park residence on E. Highway 70 3201, east of Safford. Authorities and EMS were dispatched to the residence around 11:09 a.m. after the couple’s caretakers discovered the body. They were both taken to Tucson for an autopsy by the Pima County Office of the Coroner. I was.

The Graham County Sheriff’s Office reported that Rogers was found dead in his bedroom bed and Dees was found on the front room floor. Reportedly, the area around the diner table in the vestibule was burnt and covered in black soot with a stench of smoke.

Dees apparently smoked while using an oxygen machine that caught fire. The fire spread to the floor, table, and deeds, but did not spread further.

“The house was so sealed that there wasn’t enough air to burn inside the house,” said Safford Fire Chief Clark Bingham. “The fire consumed all the oxygen and went out. So it burned out, sucking all the oxygen out of the house in the process and killing the inhabitants.”

The caretaker told the agent that Dees was on oxygen for health reasons and had a bad habit of dropping lit cigarettes due to muscle spasms. Caretakers said Rogers, who had some health problems, also dropped a cigarette and had bread on the carpet around the table.

Lifeline paramedics who responded to the scene told the agent that she had been there on a medical call just two days earlier and had noticed several burns on the carpet around the dining room table. Paramedics said they advised Dees about the dangers of smoking while using oxygen.

“It was a tragic event,” said Chief Bingham.