Malfunctioning extension cord blamed for deadly Wichita house fire

Wichita fire officials say a malfunctioning extension cord started a fire in the house where a 66-year-old man was found unconscious – and later died – on Saturday morning.

Investigators found the heat-damaged extension cord in the middle of the man’s living room at 3515 S. St. Clair, buried beneath several items that were prone to catching fire, Wichita fire Lt. Jose Ocadiz said, giving an update on the case Monday morning. Firefighters called to the house, near I-235 and Meridian, shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday found the man lying unresponsive in a hallway. They carried him outside and attempted life-saving measures but weren’t able to revive him, Ocadiz said. His name was not immediately released by fire officials.

Ocadiz said an autopsy would determine the man’s cause of death. His is the first fire fatality in Wichita of 2018. Last year, six people died in fires in Wichita, Ocadiz said.

Saturday’s fire was ruled an accident, Ocadiz said. It caused about $50,000 in damage to the man’s home and property, he said.

This story was originally published January 29, 2018 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Malfunctioning extension cord blamed for deadly Wichita house fire."