CLEVELAND, Ohio – A Cleveland man is dead after an overnight fire in an East Side apartment.
The fire started at about 3:30 a.m. at a home in the 7600 block of New York Avenue. The resident, 50, was trying to cook something when the blaze began, Cleveland Fire Lt. Mike Norman told cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer.
The victim lived on the bottom floor of a two-story home, and his injuries suggested he was trying to extinguish the fire. Two others lived upstairs, and they were able to get out safely. Nobody else was injured in the incident, Norman said.
The office of the Cuyahoga County medical examiner has not yet released the name of the person who died.
The two upstairs residents are receiving help with housing from the Red Cross, Norman said.
Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the kitchen, where it caused an estimated $20,000 in damage.
Norman encouraged residents to make sure their fire extinguishers are away from potential sources of fire, a move that would prevent people from rushing into smoke and heat to get the devices. If a fire starts in a pan, place a lid or a cookie sheet over it and turn off the heat.
If it starts in the oven, turn the oven off and keep the door shut. Once a blaze gets out of control, call 911 and close the door to the burning room, Norman said.
