TROUBLED TONY'S FINAL MOMENTS

ECLUSIVE: Colleagues of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh fear his addiction to nitrous oxide wXhippets, burning candles and Grey Goose vodka could be behind explosion that led to his death - as it's revealed he was 'barricaded' in a shed when blaze broke out

 

Daily Mail

December 1, 2020 

Shoe magnate Tony Hsieh's drug abuse was growing fast at the time of his death, DailyMail.com has learned exclusively. And friends fear that his use of the laughing gas nitrous oxide and his love of candles could have caused the fire that killed him. 

'In recent months the nitrous oxide had become as important to Tony as his alcohol,' one close colleague said. 'And Grey Goose vodka was his best friend.' 

Although nitrous oxide is not flammable it does accelerate the burning of combustible material that is already alight, according to PubChem. 

Hsieh, 46, was pulled unconscious from the burning shed attached to a waterfront home in New London, Connecticut, shortly after 3:30 am on November 18. He died in hospital nine days later. 

A dispatch tape obtained by DailyMail.com revealed that he was 'barricaded' inside the shed. 'The male is barricaded inside and not answering the door,' the dispatcher says. 'Everyone else is outside the house. They are trying to get him to open up.' 

Firefighters had to break down the door to drag him out, but they were too late to save his life. 

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has already ruled his death accidental and that he died of complications of smoke inhalation