Smoking while on oxygen led to Wichita fire that killed 58-year-old man, officials say

Investigators have determined that a fatal fire in south Wichita on Thursday morning was caused by smoking while on oxygen, firefighters say. A firefighter was injured in a separate house fire later in the morning.

The deadly fire was first reported at around 7:15 a.m. in the 2500 block of South Washington, just south of Pawnee. Firefighters with the Wichita Fire Department on the scene said someone called after seeing smoke coming from the house.

A 58-year-old man was found dead inside the home, Fire Marshal Stuart Bevis told The Eagle. Officials have not identified the victim. An autopsy has been performed, but the cause of death is pending test results.

The blaze was determined to be accidental, caused by smoking while on oxygen, Bevis said. Investigators estimate the fire caused about $40,000 in damage to the building with an additional $15,000 loss in contents.

A second fire call came in around 8:15 a.m. on Thursday. Multiple callers reported a fire at a home in the 1200 block of North Jackson, near 13th and Waco in north Wichita, according to Sedgwick County Emergency Dispatch.

When crews arrived at the home, it was engulfed in flames, Bevis told reporters at the scene. A firefighter who battled the fire was taken to the hospital in serious condition, but is expected to be “OK,” Bevis said.

This story was originally published January 24, 2019 at 1:50 PM.