OLATHE, KAN -
A 75-year-old man critically injured in an Olathe duplex fire Saturday night as died from his injuries. When Olathe firefighters arrived at the duplex on Jan-Mar Drive in Olathe they were expecting a medical emergency, not a fire.
"It came in as a medical call, so firefighters were responding to assist a burned patient," said Ken Keiter, Olathe fire battalion chief. "When they got on scene there was smoke showing from the duplex, and there was an active fire inside the duplex."
Firefighters rescued the man's wife and found him downstairs next to a burning couch.
"They believe he was smoking while he was wearing oxygen for a previous medical condition," said Keiter.
Emergency works said the victim had burns on 98 percent of his body. The man died Sunday from his injuries and firefighters said it's a tragic lesson others should take to heart.
"People who are on oxygen are probably on oxygen because of their history of smoking," said Keiter. "It's a hard habit to break, and they just don't realize the danger they put themselves into smoking and being on oxygen at the same time."
"It came in as a medical call, so firefighters were responding to assist a burned patient," said Ken Keiter, Olathe fire battalion chief. "When they got on scene there was smoke showing from the duplex, and there was an active fire inside the duplex."
Firefighters rescued the man's wife and found him downstairs next to a burning couch.
"They believe he was smoking while he was wearing oxygen for a previous medical condition," said Keiter.
Emergency works said the victim had burns on 98 percent of his body. The man died Sunday from his injuries and firefighters said it's a tragic lesson others should take to heart.
"People who are on oxygen are probably on oxygen because of their history of smoking," said Keiter. "It's a hard habit to break, and they just don't realize the danger they put themselves into smoking and being on oxygen at the same time."
