Deadly fire could be result of smoking

BATAVIA, N.Y. (WIVB) - There's new details on a deadly explosion and fire in Batavia.

Batavia Police believe last night's fire is a result of careless smoking and the victim has had multiple close calls in the past.

Explosions kept officers and neighbors from getting inside the house on State Street. By the time firefighters could get in, they found the body of 57-year-old Mary Pawlukiewicz.

Police say the fire was probably caused by oxygen tanks inside the house. Detectives say her smoking led to two other incidents in the past.

In 2002 a fire broke out around her bed in the same apartment. Just six months ago, police say Pawlukiewicz was smoking in her car, a fire broke out, and her car was destroyed. The woman's landlord tells News 4 she was told not to smoke with oxygen.

"Told her not to smoke, and have oxygen in the house. Everybody told her, but she wouldn't listen to nobody," said landlord Charles Pero.

132 State Street is a multi-family house. The fire left some other residents without a place to stay and the Red Cross is helping them.