Cause Of Fatal Sudbury Fire Determined By Investigators, Victim Identified

SUDBURY, MA — The Sudbury house fire that killed a 74-year-old was likely caused by a space heater, according to the state Department of Fire Services.

The fire broke out on Feb. 21 around 5 a.m. in a home along Goodman's Hill Road. Firefighters arrived to find smoke and flames at the rear of the home. Hema Shahani died due to injuries she suffered in the blaze. Her son and a Sudbury police officer were injured trying to rescue her.

The family had set up space heaters on the first floor of the home after a problem with the heating system, according to investigators. Shahani had mobility issues and was unable to escape the fire.

"At least one of these space heaters ran overnight. Investigators collectively determined that the most likely cause was a circuit overheating while powering the space heater, causing a fire inside the wall. That fire extended to a closet on the opposite side of the wall and continued to spread from there," DFS said in a news release.

The fire grew to three alarms, with firefighters from Marlborough, Framingham, Concord, Wayland, Maynard and Weston helping to fight the fire. Firefighters from Acton, Lincoln and Hudson helped cover Sudbury fire stations during the response.

“On behalf of the Sudbury Fire Department and our community, I want to express our deepest condolences to Ms. Shahani’s loved ones,” Sudbury Fire Chief John Whalen said in a news release. “They lost a cherished family member, and all our thoughts are with them right now.”