'Tragic situation': 90-year-old dies in Middleboro's third fatal fire in two years ***CHECK YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS!****

 

'Tragic situation': 90-year-old dies in Middleboro's third fatal fire in two years

Amelia Stern

The Enterprise

Sept 2, 2025 

An elderly woman who died Monday, Sept. 1, in Middleboro's third fatal fire within two years, did not have working smoke alarms in her residence, officials said in a statement.

The fire that killed the victim, identified Tuesday as Anne Tichelaar, 90, of Middleboro, was likely caused by smoking materials, Middleboro Fire Chief Owen Thompson, Police Chief Robert Ferreira, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz said in a joint statement.

The Middleboro Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at a two-story, multi-family home located at 72 Everett St. at around 2:52 a.m. Monday, Thompson said in a statement.

Upon arrival, fire crews found heavy fire with flames showing from multiple windows on the first floor.

Firefighters made entry into the home and found Tichelaar on the first floor. She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the statement.

“This was a tragic situation," Thompson said in the statement. "Unfortunately, this was the third fatal fire within two years in the Town of Middleboro," he said.

Thompson said fire crews did an excellent job aggressively extinguishing the heavy flames Monday, which could be seen from multiple windows on the first floor.

The flames were extinguished within 30 minutes, according to the statement.

Three other occupants of the residence escaped before firefighters arrived on scene and no additional injuries were reported.

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Fatal fire caused by smoking materials, preliminary investigation

Officials determined in a preliminary investigation that the fatal fire started accidentally with smoking materials in the first-floor living room.

Thompson warned residents that smoking is the leading cause of fatal fires in the state. Residents should always use a heavy ashtray with water or sand to put out smoking materials all the way, he said in a statement.

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation.

Fatal Middleboro fire December 2024 Middleboro man dies after being trapped inside burning home, victim identified

No working smoke alarms in home

According to the Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance and Enforcement Unit, there were no working smoke alarms in the home.

“Working smoke alarms are your first line of defense in an emergency,” State Fire Marshal Davine said. “Please take a few minutes today to be sure you have them on every level of your home. Check the manufacturing date printed on the back of the device and replace it if it’s more than 10 years old. And test your alarms each month to be sure you and your loved ones are protected.”

3 fatal fires in less than 2 years

In February 2024, Jasmine Lane, a 12-year-old Middleboro middle schooler died in a house fire on Pearl Street, officials said.

In December 2024, Nathaniel Williams, 67, of Middleboro, died after he was trapped inside his burning home on Locust Street for 18 minutes, according to officials.

The Everett Street blaze Monday is the third fire fatality in the town in two years.

THE ENTERPRISE