July 2, 2003

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Asst. to the Fire Chief
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2411, page: 675-2137

Man Dies in Morning House Fire

Fire Department officials looking at air conditioner electrical cord as possible cause. Could be second type incident in two-days - ISSUE WARNING . . .

A fire that destroyed a residence in the city’s Martin Luther King neighborhood also took the life of a Bay Town, Texas resident. Firefighters were called out this morning to the report of a fire at 1729 Russell Road at 5:07 a.m. When fire crews arrived they found the structure heavily involved in smoke and flames. A report that someone was inside, quickly sent rescue teams into the residence, where they located Kenneth Sims, 52 in a front bedroom. He was pulled from the home and treated and transported to LSUHSC by department paramedics for apparent fire and smoke related injuries. Paramedics stated that he was not breathing and had no pulse on the scene. Shortly after arriving at LSU, Sims was pronounced. Official cause of death will not be known until the Coroner issues a final report.

Sims was reported to have a preexisting medical condition that may have prevented him from exiting the home without assistance. The renter of the property and Sims’ care giver, Cloiel Nebbits, 66, told investigators that she walked into the livingroom of the home this morning and saw smoke coming from behind the couch. Investigators have confirmed that the fire did indeed start behind the couch but are looking closely at a window air conditioning unit, specifically the cord being used to power it.

Just yesterday evening, fire investigators listed a manipulated power cord for a window air conditioning unit as the cause for a fire that damaged a residence at the Peach Street Apartments, 2929 David Raines. No one was injured in that fire. The two incidents have prompted fire officials to issue the following warning:

"Fire officials strongly caution against changing or altering the power cord to any electrical device, particularly those requiring heavy loads such as air conditioners, washers and dryers, etc. These alterations can result in the cord heating to a point to ignite or radiate heat to a nearby combustible material that can ignite, such as a rug."

Firefighters battled this morning’s fire for just under an hour, finally listing it under control at 6:06 a.m. No other injuries were reported. Fire officials list the damage to that fire as heavy and around $40,000. ###