North Carolina

Woman on oxygen killed while smoking a cigarette, North Carolina cops say

A North Carolina woman died when police say her oxygen tank exploded in her home, media outlets report.

The 61-year-old woman was using her oxygen tank and smoking a cigarette at the same time in her Nash County home Tuesday morning, according to WRAL.

The cigarette ignited Belinda Coble’s oxygen tank, which exploded and caused a small fire, WITN reported.

Coble’s husband, who was sleeping in another room, was woken up by the fire alarm and managed to put out the fire and call 911, according to WNCN.

When first responders got there, Coble was dead, WNCN reported.

There was “minimal damage” to the home, WITN reported.

This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 7:22 PM with the headline "Woman on oxygen killed while smoking a cigarette, North Carolina cops say."

Related Stories from Hilton Head Island Packet
Bailey Aldridge
The News & Observer
Bailey Aldridge is a reporter covering real-time news in North and South Carolina. She has a degree in journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER