Investigators Seek Answers to New Orleans Nursing Home Fire Death
Published: February 22nd, 2010 • No Comments
New Orleans fire investigators are struggling to determine the cause of a fire earlier this month in a Louisiana retirement home that killed a 77-year old resident.
Hubert Ellis, a resident of Crescent City Health Care, was in his bed when a fire started in his room earlier this month. Ellis died several days after suffering burns to more than 80 percent of his body, according to a story by WDSU.com. Investigators say they have found a pair of lighters in the charred remains of Ellis’s bed, where it appears the fire started, but relatives say Ellis did not smoke. One other occupant who was in the room at the time has claimed not to have been involved in the blaze.
The nursing home fire death has also caught the attention of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. Crescent City Health Care officials say they cannot comment on the investigation while it is underway. Family members have said they believe that Ellis died because he was unattended, however fire investigators say they have not yet determined if his death is a case of nursing home neglect.
A report released in January rated Louisiana as the state with the worst rated nursing homes in the nation. Of the 280 nursing homes in the state, only 4.3% received a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The national average was more than 12% per state. Crescent Center received an average rating from federal investigators, receiving three out of five stars in all categories.
