Investigators say a fire that killed a woman last week in Sudbury, Massachusetts, is believed to have been electrical in nature.
The fire broke out Wednesday morning on Goodman's Hill Road. Family members told NBC10 Boston it claimed the life of 73-year-old Hema Shahani, whom the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office said was 74.
Shahani's son and a police officer were hospitalized after trying to rescue her.
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The office of Massachusetts Fire Marshal Jon Davine said Monday that a circuit that was powering a space heater is believed to have overheated and caused a fire inside the wall. The family had lost heat on the first floor the previous night and was using space heaters to warm the house.
The fire was deemed accidental.
Investigators found no working smoke detectors on the first or second floors.
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"On behalf of the Sudbury Fire Department and our community, I want to express our deepest condolences to Ms. Shahani's loved ones," Sudbury Fire Chief John Whalen said in a statement shared by the fire marshal's office. "They lost a cherished family member and all our thoughts are with them right now."
"Our hearts go out to Ms. Shahani's family and every family that loses a loved one to fire," Davine said. "This was a tragic loss for them and the community. Please, if you do one thing today, check to be sure you have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home."
Shahani's son who tried to help his mother was burned, while the police officer suffered smoke inhalation. Both were hospitalized after trying to save the former teacher, but were expected to be OK.
"She was gracious, and inspirational, and a kind person," Jeet Shahani, another son of the victim, told NBC10 Boston last week. "I've been getting a lot of messages from everybody today."
