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Jun 6, 2008 8:55 pm US/Central
Disabled Man Dies In St. Paul Park Fire
ST. PAUL PARK, Minn. (WCCO) ―
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Andrews called his neighbors when his power went out Thursday night. They didn't hear from Andrews again that night, but saw smoke coming out of the house a few hours later.
CBS
An early morning fire took the life of a man in St. Paul Park on Friday. 53-year-old Richard Andrews could not get out of his burning home on First street in St. Paul Park. Neighbors tried to get their longtime friend Richard Andrews out of the fire, but couldn't get to him.
"The smoke was so bad, it was just coming out of everywhere. You couldn't see anything," said Alyssa Monn.
Andrews had multiple sclerosis and diabetes and needed a walker to get around.
"I can't imagine what it would have been like for him if he woke up trying to get out of bed in a rush. Even his adrenaline wouldn't help him, "said Jerry Mailand, Andrews' neighbor for more than 30 years.
Firefighters found Andrews in his bedroom. He died later at Regions hospital. Andrews had lived in this home all of his life and was very close to his neighbors.
"He was amazing, there's too much to say. He'd always call and tell us how much he missed us," said Monn.
Andrews called his neighbors when his power went out Thursday night. They didn't hear from Andrews again that night, but saw smoke coming out of the house a few hours later.
Neighbors said Xcel Energy crews were working on branches down on some power lines. The St. Paul Park Fire Chief said there was a small fire caused by sparking power lines in the same block as the house fire shortly after 9 p.m. that evening.
There was also lightning in the area. Jerry Mailand lives next door to Andrews. He thinks lightning took out his cable box.
"It hit the ground (wire) and that stopped it before it got in the house. That's how close it got to going in the house," said Mailand.
The fire marshal's office says the cause appears to be electrical, but they don't know if it had anything to do with the power line work outside the house.
Neighbors feel like they've lost a member of the family. Andrews was supposed to attend Alyssa Monn's high school graduation Friday. Now she's wondering what she's going to do without Andrews in her life.
"I love him very much," said Monn.
A fire investigator said it looks like the fire started from wiring in an interior wall of the home.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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