The fire at Providence College Mens Basketball Coach Ed Cooley's house Tuesday, Jan. 7, was ruled accidental, caused by an unattended candle, the state fire marshal's office said.
The fire started in an upstairs bathroom. According to the police report, a family member said she had lit a candle in the bathroom and placed in the tub. When she realized there was a fire in the tub, she called 911. No one was injured, but the family evacuated the house for the night.
Fire damaged the tub and surrounding area. A glass candle holder was on its side in the tub, according to the police report.
Candle fires are common, said Deputy State Fire Marshal Richard James. "A candle should be place on a trivet or a plate," he said.
From 2006-2010, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 11,640 home structure fires that were started by candles, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). "These fires caused 126 deaths, 953 injuries and $438 million in direct property damage," the website reads. "Candles caused 3 percent of reported home fires, 5 percent of home fire deaths, 7 percent of home fire injuries, and 6 percent of the direct property damage from home fires in 2010."
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