ROCHESTER, Minn. – A police officer physically removed a 74-year-old man from his burning house after he refused to give up fighting the fire himself. It was not immediately clear whether the man suffered smoke inhalation or burns. He was taken to a hospital to be checked over. This was about 8:45 p.m. in the 1600 block of Eighth Avenue Southeast. A neighbor had seen smoke and tried to get the man to leave. He wouldn’t, so she called 911. When firefighters arrived, flames coming from the roof at the back of the house. The fire crew managed to prevent the fire from spreading.
Blaze confined mostly to kitchen. With a truck-mounted illumination, a fire crew tackles and controls the fire.