Man died after lighting cigarette while wearing oxygen mask

[left-of-center2012]

WAYMART, PA —

A man died after lighting a cigarette while wearing an oxygen mask, state police in Honesdale, PA, said.

At about 9:27 p.m. Friday, police responded to a report of the death of Douglas Raymond Till, 56, of Waymart.

An investigation showed that Till tried lighting a cigarette while the oxygen mask was attached to his face, police said. The open flame and the flowing oxygen sparked a flash fire that caused facial and upper respiratory burns.

The melted rubber from the mask caused a small fire on the carpet but didn't spread.

Deputy Coroner Carol Lienert pronounced Till dead.

[SWBTATTReg]

1. God! How stupid can one be? Wow...just wow! nt

[Initech]

6. I think we've got a Darwin Award winner here!

[malaise]

2. Years ago I read about this model who massaged her body with rubbing alcohol

before taking a shower. She decided to smoke a cigarette before her bath. She lived but that was the end of her modelling career - people can be really stupid. You had to see the photos with her scars.

[Doreen]

3. To bad

He probably had a chance to reproduce.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Darwins Law .

One less Gene Pool member.

[dalton99a]

5. So it's not WALMART, PA

[grantcart]

7. No it's waaay more Marty

[DesertRat]

8. Poor guy. What an awful way to die.

[uppityperson]

9. Ow! That poor man, that had to hurt bad.

[rurallib]

10. Bet that wasn't the first time he did that - just the last

Never forget seeing an older lady at an empty mall once pushing an oxygen tank with the prongs in her nose and smoking a cigarette.

[Aristus]

11. Well, I guess he won't do THAT again...

[demmiblue]

12. Addiction is a horrible thing.

Ouch.

[Runningdawg]

13. When I was in nursing school

I worked as a secretary in ICU. 2 am ...Woosh! Thump! *screams* Visitor had given the pt a cig and lighter. The man had slid the oxygen mask up on his forehead to smoke. It melted, caught his hair on fire, and blinded him in one eye.

[NCTraveler]

14. That sucks. nt.

[Lee-Lee]

15. Saw the aftermath of that once

Female lung cancer patient, at home on oxygen, wearing a wig.

She didn’t survive, cornor said inhaling the smoke and fumes from the burning mask and synthetic wig with her already damaged lungs pushed her body over the edge.

It was one of those calls you never forget.

[hunter]

16. Tobacco addictions are terrible, as bad as or worse than many illegal drugs.

If tobacco was illegal I'm certain the gangs would be selling it and killing one another in turf wars.

I found these links on medical oxygen:

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/By-topic/Safety-in-the-home/Medical-oxygen

Other pictures and videos I found were horrifying and might break DU's rules about shock content.