By James Mayse
Messenger-Inquirer
OWENSBORO, Ky. — A man was listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital after firefighters and Owensboro police officers pulled him from a burning home earlier in the day.
Ray Rhodes, 56, was found unconscious Wednesday morning inside the home at 1427 W. 12th St.
Firefighters were called to the fire at 9:23 a.m., after Rhodes’ father returned to the home and found it full of smoke, said Owensboro Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Leonard. When Owensboro police officers and the firefighters arrived, they found Rhodes just inside the front door to the home.
“A police officer kicked in the front door,” Leonard said. “There was a lot of heavy smoke, and one of the firefighters reached in and pulled him out.”
OPD officers and firefighters performed CPR on Rhodes until the ambulance arrived. “The victim wasn’t breathing and appeared to have no pulse” when he was found, Leonard said.
Rhodes had not regained consciousness by the time the ambulance arrived, Leonard said.
“It appears he attempted to exit the house and was overcome by smoke,” he said.
The fire began in Rhodes’ bedroom in the back of the house. Investigators have not yet determined what caused it.
“There is such a significant amount of damage that it makes it difficult to pinpoint the ignition source,” Leonard said. Investigators are “looking at several possible ignition sources,” he said.
City Fire Chief Steve Mitchell said the fire was extinguished quickly, but one firefighter was later transported to OHRH after suffering heat exhaustion.
"(Firefighters) did find a smoke detector in the home, but when they went in, they didn’t hear it,” Mitchell said. Part of the investigation would look at whether the smoke detector was operating at the time.
The fire also damaged a portion of the home’s basement. The house sustained smoke damage throughout, Leonard said.
No one else was injured in the incident.
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(c)2014 the Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, Ky.)
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