Qld: Man dies in house fire

AAP General News (Australia)
12-07-2000
Qld: Man dies in house fire

BRISBANE, Dec 7 AAP - Neighbours fought desperately to save a man who died in a house
fire today at Tin Can Bay, on the south-east Queensland coast.

Fire officers found the man on the bedroom floor of his home in Marco Polo Drive after
neighbours alerted them to the blaze at around 11am (AEST), Queensland Fire and Rescue
Authority area director Ray Eustace said.

Mr Eustace said the man, believed to be middle-aged, was alone in the house at the time.

He said neighbours tried in vain to rescue him.

"Neighbours have seen the fire and called the fire service and have started to fight
the fire," Mr Eustace said.

"They've smashed the glass to the bedroom window to try and wake him up."

Mr Eustace said the fire had been contained to the lounge room and dining room of the home.

"But the rest of the residence was totally smoke laden," he said.

"I'd say he died from smoke inhalation because all the windows and doors were locked
up. There was no ventilation."

Mr Eustace said the fire was believed to have started in a lounge chair but it was
too early to say a cigarette was to blame, although the dead man was a smoker.

Investigations were continuing into the cause of the blaze.

AAP jhm/sc/jnb/de

KEYWORD: FIRE

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