25-year-old man dies following fire
Published 9:52 am Monday, March 31, 2014
ST. PAUL — A 25-year-old man died hours after firefighters rescued him from an early morning fire Sunday that was blamed on an unattended candle.
Daniel Trabant died at Regions Hospital on Sunday afternoon, fire officials and hospital spokesman Vince Rivard said.
Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard said the fire was caused by an unattended candle in a bedroom. He said the fire was reported about 5:45 a.m. Sunday, and the entire second story was engulfed when firefighters arrived.
Seven people were inside sleeping when the fire started. Zaccard said firefighters found Trabant unconscious and performed CPR. He was taken to Regions in critical condition. Another man was taken to the hospital in stable condition.
Six people lived in the house and one friend was visiting Saturday night to celebrate a housemate’s 21st birthday, Jake Foster, 22, one of the housemates, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Foster said he woke up to screams for everyone to get out.
“I opened up my door, saw billowing smoke and immediately debated whether I should jump out my (bedroom) window or run down the stairset,” Foster said. “I couldn’t believe it was actually happening. It was so hot.”
Trabant was walking toward the bathroom as the others were screaming and didn’t appear to grasp the danger, Foster said.
Foster said he opted for the stairs. When he reached the front sidewalk, everyone except Trabant was outside.
he told the newspaper.
The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office will determine the cause of Trabant’s death.
The house only had one smoke alarm, Zaccard said.