Elderly man killed in house fire
By: Anna Carrera/WCIA-3 News
Updated: December 4, 2012
Update: 5:31 pm
CLINTON -- A family woke up to a real-life nightmare early Tuesday morning. Linda Arteman watched firefighters put out flames at her father's home. Her father, 83-year-old Doug Flemming, died inside.
Arteman said she was looking forward to spending the holidays with her father. They already put up Christmas decorations in his home. But now they're gone, along with the man she loved.
"It just seemed like a bad dream," said Arteman. "Somebody that was here came over and said, Linda, the house is on fire. I just couldn't hardly believe that."
But the broken windows and burned siding on her father's home are proof. Arteman's brother, Mike, had been living with their father.
"Mike had a pan of grease on the stove," said Arteman. "He went to the bathroom and when he got back from the bathroom, it ignited all over the stove."
Flemming was sound asleep. The fire alarm didn't wake him up.
"They couldn't get my dad out," said Arteman. "Mike tried to get him out and couldn't get him out. He was in a hospital bed with the rail up."
Flemming died just two doors down from where he raised his children. It's a home Arteman owns now. After so much was destroyed, she's grateful to still have her memories. She said Flemming was an avid hunter and fisherman. She said he was kind of quiet and a deep thinker.
Arteman's brother got second degree burns in the fire. Another man inside at the time was treated for smoke inhalation. Both have been released from the hospital.
Original: 10:00 am
CLINTON -- One person is dead after an early morning house fire. It happened in the 300 block of South Walnut about 2 am.
An 83-year old man who lived there was killed. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.
CLINTON -- A family woke up to a real-life nightmare early Tuesday morning. Linda Arteman watched firefighters put out flames at her father's home. Her father, 83-year-old Doug Flemming, died inside.
Arteman said she was looking forward to spending the holidays with her father. They already put up Christmas decorations in his home. But now they're gone, along with the man she loved.
"It just seemed like a bad dream," said Arteman. "Somebody that was here came over and said, Linda, the house is on fire. I just couldn't hardly believe that."
But the broken windows and burned siding on her father's home are proof. Arteman's brother, Mike, had been living with their father.
"Mike had a pan of grease on the stove," said Arteman. "He went to the bathroom and when he got back from the bathroom, it ignited all over the stove."
Flemming was sound asleep. The fire alarm didn't wake him up.
"They couldn't get my dad out," said Arteman. "Mike tried to get him out and couldn't get him out. He was in a hospital bed with the rail up."
Flemming died just two doors down from where he raised his children. It's a home Arteman owns now. After so much was destroyed, she's grateful to still have her memories. She said Flemming was an avid hunter and fisherman. She said he was kind of quiet and a deep thinker.
Arteman's brother got second degree burns in the fire. Another man inside at the time was treated for smoke inhalation. Both have been released from the hospital.
Original: 10:00 am
CLINTON -- One person is dead after an early morning house fire. It happened in the 300 block of South Walnut about 2 am.
An 83-year old man who lived there was killed. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday. The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause.
