May, 13, 2008
PUBLIC SAFETY
Heater blamed for fatal fire
Victim’s identity can’t be confirmed
PHILIP A. DWYER THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
John Bradley of McKinnon Plumbing Inc., walks by the remains of an apartment fire at Brampton Court Apartments in Bellingham May 12, 2008. One person died in the fire. Bradley was there to turn the water back on to the rest of the 24-unit building.
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CALEB HEERINGA
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
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BELLINGHAM — Officials believe bedding ignited by a floor heater caused a fire that killed a man at a Birchwood Avenue apartment complex Sunday night.
Neighbors reported the fire in a ground-floor unit of the Brampton Court Apartments, 1420 Birchwood Ave., just before 10:40 p.m. Fire crews quickly contained the blaze, which was confined to the single apartment.
Inside they found a man’s body. Bellingham Police and Whatcom County Medical Examiner Gary Goldfogel were working Monday to verify the man’s identity.
Bellingham Police Lt. Steve Felmley said they suspect the body is that of the 65-year-old resident of the apartment. But officials will not be able to confirm that until they do comparisons with dental records, due to the state of the body. The renter’s name was being withheld pending notification of the family.
Bellingham Fire Department Assistant Chief Roger Christensen said investigators believe the fire started in the man’s bedroom, where the body was found, and spread throughout the apartment.
Christensen said the event is a reminder of the importance of making sure every home has working smoke detectors near bedrooms. The apartment had a smoke detector but not close to the bedroom.
“The smoke detector is there to give you that warning,” Christensen said. “During the day you might notice smoke or fire, but at night you may not.”
The Mount Baker chapter of the American Red Cross is assisting several families that were displaced by the fire due to smoke damage in the building.
