A 55-year-old New Jersey woman accidentally drowned in a hotel room whirlpool tub in upstate New York on Monday after suffering what authorities determined was a medical event.

Patricia Moschella, of Freehold, was found unresponsive by workers at the Water's Edge Inn in Old Forge, New York State Police said in a statement. The maintenance staff came to the room after a smoke detector went off, officials said.

The medical episode caused Moschella's head to slide beneath the water's surface, according to a report on WKTV.com. Her hair then got tangled in the whirlpool tub's jets, which caused it to spark and set off the smoke detector. Emergency workers were unable to revive her, the report said.

Moschella's boyfriend was running errands at the time, the report said.

The medical examiner conducted an autopsy and concluded Moschella's drowning was accidental, New York State Police said. The type of medical event she had hasn't yet been determined.

The Water's Edge is about 90 miles west of Lake George in northern Herkimer County.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.