Ark. House Fire Leaves Two in Serious Condition

Jan. 23--A house fire that broke out just west of Spiro on Monday left two people seriously injured and has led to a criminal investigation.

The fire happened at about 8:30 p.m. Monday at a residence near the 2800 block of Stewart Loop just off Stoney Point Road about three miles west of Spiro, LeFlore County Sheriff Rob Seale said.

Panama police responded first to the scene, Seale said. Two people, a man and a woman, were lying in the yard with severe injuries.

LeFlore County EMS treated the man and woman, who were air lifted to Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa. The woman was treated for multiple burn injuries and was listed in critical condition. The male was treated for smoke inhalation and was listed in serious but stable condition, Seale said.

Seale said he was not able to disclose the cause of the fire.

"Right now, that's still under investigation along with some criminal investigations that we're working on," Seale said.

Spiro firefighters got the blaze under control in about 20 minutes, Seale said. No other injuries were reported.

"It didn't take very long to get it under control. It was pretty much contained in the interior of the house," Seale said. "They got it knocked down real quick."

Oklahoma's District 16 Drug Task Force also assisted in the criminal investigation, Seale said.

"Maybe by Thursday, I hope to be able to release something on that," Seale said. "All of it's going to depend on (the man's) condition and when he's able to talk to us."

Copyright 2013 - Times Record, Fort Smith, Ark.