An electrical fire in an air conditioner was the cause of a blaze that killed three adults in a Massachusetts home early Tuesday morning.
The State Fire Marshal's Office said the air conditioner was in the living room on the opposite end of the bedrooms in the Newbury Street ranch-style home, and while there was a smoke alarm outside of the bedroom, it was so damaged by the fire that it's impossible to say if it was working.
Authorities say the home was filled with toxic black smoke by the time firefighters responded to the scene.
"In today's homes, we have only about 1-3 minutes to escape before being overcome by toxic smoke of burning furnishings made from plastics and synthetics," State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said. "Working smoke alarms are your first line of defense in a fire and when coupled with an escape plan can double your chances of escaping. However, this fire may be one where only fire sprinklers could have made the difference between life and death."
The names of the three adult victims found inside the Ludlow home have not been released pending formal identification by the state's medical examiner office.
