Sandusky fire victim flown to trauma center
6/13/2007SANDUSKY A 63-year-old disabled man who suffered smoke inhalation in a fire yesterday at the 10-unit apartment building where he lives in central Sandusky remains in critical condition in Toledo Hospital this morning.
Brian Jeter was flown to Toledo from Firelands Regional Medical Center in Sandusky and two other residents of the building Terry Fiske and Mildred Washington were treated at Firelands.
The fire at 432 East Washington St., which was blamed on unattended food cooking in a first-floor apartment, put about a dozen people out of their residences yesterday afternoon, Sandusky Fire Capt. Bill Mohr said. Seven of the buildings 10 units were occupied and the Red Cross was assisting residents.
About 30 firefighters from four departments Margaretta and Perkins Townships and the city of Huron responded to mutual aid calls were on the scene for about two hours after the fire was reported at 3:45 p.m.
Firefighters found Mr. Jeter, who had impaired mobility and was on oxygen at home, unconscious on the third floor of the apartment building.
Their search of the building was time-consuming because of many locked doors and a "real, real heavy smoke," Captain Mohr said.
Fire damage was confined to Apartment 3 where the blaze started, but smoke damage was throughout the three-story building, Captain Mohr said. He estimated damage at $70,000 to the structure and $10,000 to contents.