CLEVELAND (WJW) — A 44-year-old man is dead after fire officials said he went into a burning home to save his dogs.
Just before midnight on Monday, crews said the man’s mother, who is 68, called him to say the house was on fire. The man returned home and went inside to save his dogs, where he became trapped.
By the time crews arrived, the home at West 59th and Denison Avenue, near the Interstate 71 off-ramp, was fully involved. Thick dark smoke and flames poured into the sky.
Reaching the victim and putting out the flames was a challenge on many levels. In addition to very windy conditions, crews said the house sat back from the road and was surrounded by a fence, which firefighters cut through to get quicker access to the burning home, which was filled with clutter.
“It’s a pretty chopped-up house, too. It looks like an original house that had some additions built onto it. That’s challenging too. A layout that doesn’t make sense to us,” said Lt. Mike Norman.
The man’s mother, who called 911, was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center. We’re told she’s stable.
Norman on Tuesday afternoon said it’s unclear whether the dogs also perished in the fire, but said several cats were recovered.
Norman said this is the 15th fatal fire in Cleveland this year, putting it on pace to be the deadliest year for fires since 2006.
This house did not have working smoke detectors, said Norman.
CLEVELAND (WJW) — A 44-year-old man is dead after fire officials said he went into a burning home to save his dogs.
Just before midnight on Monday, crews said the man’s mother, who is 68, called him to say the house was on fire. The man returned home and went inside to save his dogs, where he became trapped.
By the time crews arrived, the home at West 59th and Denison Avenue, near the Interstate 71 off-ramp, was fully involved. Thick dark smoke and flames poured into the sky.
Reaching the victim and putting out the flames was a challenge on many levels. In addition to very windy conditions, crews said the house sat back from the road and was surrounded by a fence, which firefighters cut through to get quicker access to the burning home, which was filled with clutter.
“It’s a pretty chopped-up house, too. It looks like an original house that had some additions built onto it. That’s challenging too. A layout that doesn’t make sense to us,” said Lt. Mike Norman.
The man’s mother, who called 911, was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center. We’re told she’s stable.
Norman on Tuesday afternoon said it’s unclear whether the dogs also perished in the fire, but said several cats were recovered.
Norman said this is the 15th fatal fire in Cleveland this year, putting it on pace to be the deadliest year for fires since 2006.
This house did not have working smoke detectors, said Norman.
