Man Smoking In Wheelchair Saved By Sprinkler In St. Paul Apartment Fire

ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- A man in his 50s has a sprinkler to thank after it likely saved his life during an apartment fire on Tuesday in St. Paul.

St. Paul firefighters were called at about 5:33 a.m. to an apartment building on the 600 block of W. Maryland Ave. on a report of a fire alarm sounding due to a kitchen fire. When firefighters arrived, they spotted a small fire in an upholstered recliner that was being controlled due to a sprinkler in one of the apartments.

Firefighters found the lone occupant of the apartment, a man in his 50s who was in a wheelchair next to the chair that was on fire. He was rescued from the building and taken to a hospital with mild smoke inhalation.

Authorities say the man was smoking while using an oxygen tank. He fell asleep when the oxygen tubing caught fire and spread to the recliner.

Fire officials say without the sprinklers activating, the man likely would've died.