Editors note: This story is updated from a Feb. 24 web version. — MD
A Sequim man badly burned in a house fire Tuesday, Feb. 23, died at midnight Wednesday, Feb. 24, according to relatives.
The 82-year-old man was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle after he suffered severe burns over more than half of his body in the fire in the 900 block of South Third Avenue.
Neither the Sequim Police Department, which is still investigating the blaze, nor Clallam County Fire District 3, which is constrained by federal privacy laws would release his name. Relatives also would not say who he was.
He had managed to leave the burning building but was so severely burned that he was immediately taken to the Sequim emergency helistop at the Jamestown Medical Center campus and flown to Harborview.
No sign has been seen of his dog.
The 9:24 p.m. fire destroyed the double-wide modular home, which was 70 percent involved in flames when firefighters arrived, said Assistant Chief Dan Orr.
Fire investigators believe the blaze started around a chair in the living room but did not identify a cause of the fire, Orr said.
The blaze was nearly extinguished by 11 p.m. after a hard fight involving 20 firefighters.
Preliminary damage reports are $120,000 for the structure and $40,000 for the contents.
During the fire, South Third Avenue was shut down so a fire hydrant could be accessed across the street from the blaze, district officials said.
Previous story (Feb. 24)
A Sequim resident was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with severe burns after a fire destroyed much of a home on the 900 block of South Third Avenue in Sequim Tuesday night.
Clallam County Fire District 3 units were dispatched at about 9:24 p.m. to a reported brush fire in the area of 1000 South Fifth Avenue, and about a minute later multiple callers began contacting PenCom 911 detailing explosions they heard and a fire at a nearby mobile home.
Callers continued to contact PenCom with updates as fire engines were en route — one of which said the occupant of the house who had gotten himself out was severely burned.
The man had severe burns over more than half of his body, Fire District 3 officials said.
A LifeFlight helicopter transported the patient to Harborview.
More than 20 personnel finally quelled the fire by about 11 p.m.
Preliminary damage reports are $120,000 for the structure and $40,000 for the contents.
“At this time the cause of the fire is unknown,” District 3 assistant chief Dan Orr said in a press release Wednesday morning. “Fire investigators will enter the home today after it has cooled enough for them to enter the structure safely.”
During the fire, South Third Avenue was shut down so a fire hydrant could be accessed across the street from the fire, district officials said.
Fire District 3 had four fire engines, a water tender, two fire district chiefs and a paramedic unit on scene; Olympic Ambulance responded with two ambulances.
Because of the extended on-scene time, East Jefferson Fire and Rescue was summoned to provide a paramedic unit to assist in managing medical calls. The fire district also received assistance from Sequim Police Department and Clallam County PUD.
For more information, contact District 3’s Fire Operations Division at 360-683-4242, x111.
Clallam County Fire District 3 personnel battle a mobile home fire on the 900 block of South Third Avenue on Feb. 23. A resident who was able to get out of the home died a day later, according to relatives. Photo by Fire District 3/Facebook page
Clallam County Fire District 3 personnel battle a mobile home fire on the 900 block of South Third Avenue on Feb. 23. A resident who was able to get out of the home died a day later, according to relatives. Photo by Fire District 3/Facebook page
Clallam County Fire District 3 personnel battle a mobile home fire on the 900 block of South Third Avenue on Feb. 23. A resident who was able to get out of the home died a day later, according to relatives. Photo by Fire District 3/Facebook page
