58-year-old Dundalk man dies in home fire after smoking while using oxygen

A 58-year-old Dundalk man died Thursday morning after a fire started in his mobile home while he was smoking as he used medical oxygen.

The Baltimore County Fire Department said they were called to the 3700 block of North Point Rd. in Dundalk around 4:15 a.m. for a fire. When firefighters arrived, they found the home filled with smoke.

The department said they found Herbert William Mullens who had gotten trapped in his living room. He died at the scene.

It took about 10 minutes to extinguish the fire, the department said, and investigators determined that Mullens was smoking as he used home medical oxygen.

Medical oxygen is common in serious fire injuries and deaths because it can make materials more likely to ignite and makes the fire burn quicker than normal. Those using medical oxygen should not smoke, according to the National Fire Protection Association.