1 dead after overnight St. Paul house fire, 4 displaced

A man has died after an overnight fire in St. Paul.

According to the fire department, crews responded to a home on the 400 block of Cook Avenue East at 12:44 a.m. and found heavy fire on the front porch and first floor.

After putting out the fire on the porch, crews went inside the home, finding fire on the first and second floors. After getting the fire under control, firefighters found a man in the second-floor bathroom.

The man was brought to the hospital, where, despite resuscitation attempts, he was pronounced deceased, authorities said.

While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, authorities say a space heater was found near the area where the fire originated. Assistant Fire Chief Jeramiah Melquist said a resident woke up to a pillow on fire, which had been located near the space heater.

He advised any materials that might be able to catch fire be 3 feet away from the space heater and advised residents who were cold to use the house’s main heating system instead of a space heater.

There have been 5 fire fatalities so far this year in St. Paul.

Four people have been displaced as a result of the fire, which the Red Cross is assisting.

Fire officials stated that the man’s death cannot be ruled a fire fatality until investigations are finished. There have been 5 fire fatalities so far this year in St. Paul.
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