At around 7 this morning, residents of Marigold Lane were alarmed by a house fire which started at the home of 74 year-old Ewert Leslie, who lives alone. Fortunately, the Fire Department was quickly notified. Their personnel arrived and got the fire under control, but it did substantial structural damage to Leslie's house.
7News spoke to one of his neighbors who called in the authorities to come to his aid. She told us that the senior citizen was inside the house and received burns:
Voice Of: Neighbor
"My nephew came this morning and tell me to please call the fire department because the house next door is on fire. When I came outside I ask him which house, I didn't know it was that house. I came out and saw the smoke and ran back inside, pick up my phone and call the police and ask them to please call the authorities because I didn't remember the phone number to call. They call and a little while after the fire truck came and they start to put out the fire. I know that a single man lives in there but I didn't know where he was. I was panicking because I didn't know what happened if he was inside the house or if he had gone because normally he usually goes soon but apparently he was still in the house because he got burned."
Ben Matura - Operations Officer, Fire Department
"This morning at 6:50 we got a call for a house fire on Marigold Lane, that's in the Lake Independence area. Immediately both fire tenders; both one from this headquarters and the Southside Dolphin Street respond to the call. Upon arrival we found the house engulf in flames and smoke coming out of the roof. We got into operation and got the fire under control in 5 minutes and a remainder 10 minutes we extinguish the fire."
"Actually what happen is that the owner and occupier Mr. Ewert Leslie, 74 year old was in the house this morning. He had no power, so he use candle and he had a candle on the floor and apparently he accidentally while walking around he bumped the candle and it fell over and caught some paper and stuff he had on the floor - it caught fire and spread rapidly within that section and he couldn't control it, so that's how that started."
Daniel Ortiz
"We understand that he received burn injuries from being caught in that fire?"
Ben Matura - Operations Officer, Fire Department
"Yes, apparently when he noticed what had happened he attempt to put out the fire and could not. In that process he got some burn areas on his back and shoulder and right arm."
We contacted authorities at the KHMH who told us that Leslie continues to receive treatment for his burn injuries.
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