80-year-old man dies in house fire
By Lauren Schott
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LAPEER COUNTY, Michigan (WNEM) — An 80-year-old Lapeer County man died in a house fire Wednesday morning.
Lapeer County 911 received a call from the 80-year-old homeowner at 3:22 a.m. on Dec. 1. The caller told 911 his house on Diehl Road in Metamora was on fire, according to the Lapeer County Sheriff’s Office.
The fire was reported to have started at the stove and spread to the interior walls. The caller expressed he was experiencing difficulty breathing and was attempting to exit the home before he stopped responding to the 911 operator.
The man’s 69-year-old wife was located outside the residence when police and fire officials arrived, and the 80-year-old man was still inside the home that was 25 percent engulfed in flames.
According to the sheriff’s office, law enforcement and firefighters attempted to enter the home upon arrival but were unable to do so due to heat and smoke.
When the fire was extinguished, the 80-year-old homeowner was found deceased in his bedroom, according to the sheriff’s office.
The 69-year-old wife suffered burns and smoke inhalation and was transported to McLaren in Lapeer before being transferred to Hurley Medical Center in Flint. She was last reported to be in stable condition.
Michigan State Police Fire Investigative Services responded to establish the origin of the fire.
The Lapeer County Medical Examiner’s Office will be performing an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Foul play is not suspected, and the fire remains under investigation by Lapeer County sheriff’s deputies.
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