Man, 87, found dead after fire
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- An elderly man died when a fire exploded in a mobile home at a trailer park in Springfield, Ore., Tuesday evening, destroying the man's home and damaging nearby homes.
"We discovered very quickly in putting the fire out that there was an occupant inside, an elderly man. He perished in the fire," said Dennis Murphy, fire chief.
Fire officials later identified the victim as Donald Russell, 87.
Russell is the first fire-related fatality in Springfield in over a year.
The fire marshal is investigating the cause of the fire, Murphy said.
The fire also destroyed a car and damaged two adjacent mobile homes.
The fire broke out at 157 12th Street in Springfield around 4:40 p.m. It took 15 minutes to knock down the flames.
"We heard a big boom go off in the neighborhood," said Bobby Fleeks of Springfield, Ore. "I looked out the window and we saw the smoke billowing out."
Fleeks took a camera to the scene and sent in the first photos of the fire. He said neighbors and witnesses described what happened.
"They say the whole trailer just exploded and blew up and burst into flames," he said.
Fleeks sent these photographs to KVAL News:
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KVAL News report Addison Taylor sent these photographs from a mobile phone:
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