Fire
Victim’s Death an Accident, Coroner Concludes |
By Lookout Staff
April 15 -- A homeless man found dead at the scene of
a fire last week likely died of smoke inhalation, the Coroners office
reported Tuesday.
“The Coroners is classifying the death as accidental,” said Scott
Ziegert, a Fire Department spokeman. “There were no signs of trauma.”
The man has not been publicly identified pending notification of his next of
kin.
The body was found by firefighters after they extinguished a blaze that started
shortly before 10:30 p.m. at 3028 Nebraska Avenue, the site of a small commercial
building in Santa Monica’s indusrial zone.
According to Ziegert, the first firefighters to arrive at the scene found smoke
coming from a small lean-to next to the reported address.
The homeless man was reportedly allowed to sleep there, fire department officials
said.
Fire Department investigators and Police Department detectives are investigating
the cause of the fire, he said.
The cost of the damage has not been established, he said.
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