From the outside of Summit Towers in Schenectady you can see the broken window high above, a remnant of the fire from early Sunday morning. Firefighters had to climb several flights of stairs just to reach the source.

"Anytime we have a fire on a high-rise building, this was on the 8th floor, getting to the fire is difficult and smoke with zero visibility was difficult for the crews," said Schenectady Deputy Fire Chief Raymond Senecal.

In the hallway you could see equipment used to fight the fire. And inside the room, the chair where firefighters said the elderly female resident was had been destroyed.

"She was smoking in her chair early this morning while on oxygen and apparently fell asleep," said Senecal.

Summit Towers Executive Director Barbara McBride said the 72-year-old was home alone at the time of the fire. A home health aid left about half an hour before.

"She had been told many, many times not to smoke with her oxygen," said McBride. "She's an elderly person and stubborn. You can't tell her what to do. She's going to tell you what to do."

While fire officials said fire alarms and sprinklers did their job, some residents did not pay attention.

"That floor and the floor above it were evacuated. However, when this alarm goes off a lot of people don't evacuate because we're here quite often," said Senecal. "We have several fires here, so people get complacent."

McBride said working at Summit Towers creates a close connection with many of the residents and the news is just heartbreaking.

"We all cried. I cried with the aids. I cried with my boss. It's very sad. Very, very sad. I hope she does come home. I hope she does," said McBride.

Authorities are still working to locate family so the victim's identity has not been released. At time of publication, FOX23 had

these stubborn folks need to be where they can be watched 24/7......they have minds of their own....independent....bless their souls......not able to make the right choices

Isn't smoking now banned in those senior apartments?   Or is it a future effective date?

Mike heard smoking will be banned in one MHA complex by April 2013

Quoted from rpforpres

"She was smoking in her chair early this morning while on oxygen and apparently fell asleep," said Senecal.

OH DEAR!  

Wish her well!

sad

This could have been prevented if people did their jobs.  More taxpayer money out the door.

A friend of mine who is a double amputee lives 2 floors down from the fire.  Lots of water came into his apt. guess the sprinklers work that is good to know.

They have at minimum 1 false alarm a day and sometimes more.  Can you imaging tenants walking down 12 flights of stairs every time.  This is why people no longer pay attention to them.  My friend certainly can't go down the stairs, he has to just wait each one out hoping there isn't a real fire.

I was just mentioning to my friend the other day that I wondered if the alarms are for the same apartments all the time.

Sad to hear this lady was burned so bad.  Will keep her in my prayers.

Quoted from Patches

these stubborn folks need to be where they can be watched 24/7......they have minds of their own....independent....bless their souls......not able to make the right choices

watched to keep them safe from doing what they want to do?

they are adults...keeping them 'safe' for our own balm to our minds, keeps them from being who they are

DON'T TREAD ON THEM,,,,because tomorrow it will be you

Should set up new rule.  No smoking in apartments, tobacco that is.  

Summit is the drug store of choice for the city.

POOR NEGLECTED PEOPLE

APPARENTLY THEY ARE THE 'FRAIL SENIORS!'

Heard that the woman passed away : (