COLUMBUS – Fire investigators say his efforts to put out an accidental fire in a North Linden home early Friday morning may have cost a man his life.
Aaron Washington was found collapsed in the kitchen of a home in the 1400 block of Republic Avenue at 4:25 by firefighters called to the scene on a reported house fire, fire division spokesman Battalion Chief Steve Martin said.
Evidence shows the occupant may have been in the kitchen to get an extinguisher to fight the fire before becoming overcome by the smoke and carbon monoxide, Martin said.
“This is the second fire in a week where the occupant has attempted to fight the fire instead of exiting the house and waiting for the fire department,” said Capt. Jeff Martin of the Fire and Explosive Investigations Unit.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke and fire in the one and a half story house and Washington was found by a crew searching for occupants while other firefighters were putting out the flames, Steve Martin said.
Washington, 57, was pronounced dead at the scene, Steve Martin said.
Investigators determined the fire started in an upstairs bedroom and was caused by electric current running through a pinched extension cord under the bed.
There were smoke alarms present but nobody on the scene could confirm they had activated.
The theme of this year’s Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 8-14) is ‘Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out,’” said Fire Chief Kevin O’Connor.
“One of the key campaign messages we want to remind everyone is to get outside and stay outside. Get everyone out and call 9-1-1 from outside the building or a neighbor’s house,” he said.
According to Steve Martin, someone got everyone else out of a burning building last week before attempting to extinguish a cooking fire in the kitchen and was also overcome by smoke and collapsed. Martin says he was located by firefighters and pulled out of the house unconscious. He is still recovering at a local hospital.