Victim of fatal fire identified

Victim of fatal fire identified

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The man who died in a Monday evening duplex fire on the city’s South Side has been identified as Andrew Douglas Jr., 45, of 3144 Pine Hollow Drive, where the fire occurred.

Despite a functioning smoke detector, firefighters found Douglas in the living room of his first floor apartment and pulled him out of the house. Douglas was pronounced dead in St. Elizabeth Health Center. Fire Chief John O’Neill said he believes Douglas died of smoke inhalation.

The cause of the 6:55 p.m. blaze is still under investigation, but firefighters have no reason to believe it was suspicious, O’Neill said. “There were no strange indicators,” O’Neill said.

The blaze, which appeared to have originated in a first floor bathroom, extended to the kitchen and up the back walls to the second floor apartment and the third floor finished attic of the wooden structure.

Neighbors said Douglas was the only resident of the duplex at the time of the fire.

Damage was estimated at $20,000 to the house and its contents combined.

A firefighter suffered a minor cut on his hand while battling the blaze, O’Neill said.