Toledo man who appeared to suffer burns died Saturday

10/12/2013

A West Toledo man who appeared to suffer burns over his entire body died Saturday in Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center.

Jamar Allen, 41, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m., said Dr. Diane Barnett, a Lucas County deputy coroner. An autopsy is pending.

Mr. Allen was seen smoking while carrying a gasoline-powered push lawn mower into the basement of 2550 Greenway St., an apartment building where he lived and was a maintenance worker, Dr. Barnett said. Witnesses heard a crash once he reached the basement, and then saw him engulfed in flames as he ran from the basement into the street. 

Toledo firefighters responded at 10:44 a.m. to the Greenway address, where they found Mr. Allen in the street.

The blaze was confined to a concrete block room in the basement and caused less than $700 damage to the 12-unit, three-floor building, said Lt. Matthew Hertzfeld, fire department spokesman.