A man has been hospitalized with severe burns from a fire in a duplex in Le Mars, IA on Saturday. The fire, at 620 Greenwood Ave., was reported at 10 a.m. on Saturday.
When firefighters arrived, the man, who suffered second- and third-degree burns, was standing outside as heavy smoke pour from his portion of the duplex. He was rushed to a hospital by ambulance and later transported to a hospital in Omaha.
Origin of the Fire
It is unclear how the fire began, but investigators say the fire’s origin was in the kitchen and may have been fueled by gasoline that was in the apartment. The kitchen is the most common area of origin for house fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). About half of all house fires reported between 2010 and 2014 originated in the kitchen. House fires that began in the kitchen accounted for 44 percent of all injuries and 19 percent of deaths.