Source Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minn.
An unconscious man rescued from his burning St. Paul home two weeks ago has died, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner's office.
The office on Tuesday identified the man as Shane Klein, 49. Klein died Friday afternoon at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The medical examiner said Klein's death was an accident. He died of complications of carbon monoxide toxicity stemming from the fire.
Around 6:17 p.m. Oct. 4, St. Paul firefighters rescued Klein, who was unconscious, from his burning bedroom at 2106 Dayton Ave. Ramsey County records showed Klein was the homeowner, according to 1st District Fire Chief Fawn Hawkinson.
The fire started in a pile of clothing, said St. Paul Fire Marshal Steve Zaccard. The fire was confined to the bedroom, he said, and investigators do not consider it suspicious.
Zaccard said Tuesday that the fire was still under investigation.
Damage was estimated at $15,000.
The house had smoke detectors, which were operating, but had no sprinklers to control the fire.
Neighbor James Wells and his wife were in their backyard Oct. 4 when they noticed smoke coming from Klein's window next door. Wells' wife and another neighbor called 911, and Wells tried to open the window more. He said there was a lot of smoke but not much fire in the house.
Wells said he and Klein were friendly neighbors but not particularly close. He and his wife would run into Klein at the pharmacy at HealthPartners Clinic on Como Avenue in St. Paul, where Klein worked.
"He enjoyed people," Wells said Tuesday. "He had a lot of friends, I think."
Firefighters found what they believed to be marijuana plants in the basement and contacted police. Investigators recovered about 12 marijuana plants when they executed a search warrant, said officer John Keating, a St. Paul police spokesman.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
