Reading PA Fire Department

A City man was found lying outside of his home as firefighters arrived on location at the scene of a reported structure fire about 13:00 today. The man was conscious and talking to emergency workers but then went into cardiac arrest. Paramedics worked on the patient briefly before transporting him to the hospital, he was pronounced dead in the emergency room. Two other occupants were also taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation.

According to investigators, the 79 year old had attempted to put out a grease fire in the kitchen of the home with a fire extinguisher and then tried to evacuate. He made it into the dining room of the home where he collapsed. Reportedly several neighbors and a BARTA bus operator pulled the victim from the dwelling.

Firefighters had the fire under control within a few minutes. Flames from the pan of grease burned up into the cabinets above the stove before being extinguished. The area of the stove was overhauled and the building was cleared of smoke. The Fire Chief has disputed a coroners finding that the man's death was not related to the fire.

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