Sept. 24--A Muskogee man jumped out of the second story of a duplex to escape a fire over the weekend.
Joshua Woods, 27, injured his foot and sustained cuts when he escaped the blaze at 704 Galveston St. on Saturday, according to the Muskogee Fire Department on Monday.
Firefighters were called about 10:15 a.m., where a fire had started in the front bedroom where Woods was sleeping.
Woods woke up to smoke and heat in the room. The fire came from a candle that had ignited the room, Fire Chief Derek Tatum stated in a release.
Muskogee Assistant Fire Marshal Derrell Jones said the blaze is being investigated but appears to be accidental.
The release stated there was "too much heat to exit the front bedroom door."
Woods then jumped from the second floor to escape the blaze, the release stated.
He sustained minor leg and foot injuries, went to EASTAR Health System and was treated and released, a hospital employee said Monday.
Larry Brinker, the property owner, said he had several calls Saturday from people living nearby reporting the fire. He said insurance adjusters had looked at the duplex Monday.
"The ceiling dropped out of the bedroom," Brinker said.
He said the other side of the duplex sustained some smoke damage, but was OK. The side that burned, however, will need remodeling, he said.
Fire investigators estimated structural damage at about $7,000, the release stated.
Reach Thad Ayers at (918) 684-2903 or [email protected].
Copyright 2013 - Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
