Man Dies After Shed Catches Fire In Dracut
DRACUT (CBS) - A 58-year-old Dracut man has died from his injuries after the backyard shed he was in caught fire. The victim suffered severe burns to his upper torso before he was pulled out by two neighbors, one of whom has been hospitalized with smoke inhalation.
The charred remains, including boards and debris, reveal the intensity of the flames, and neighbors first smelled the burning plastic fencing around it. "It was a pungent odor in the air and then I look over the trees and saw smoke starting to come up. It just took right off," said Louie Neofotistos.
Neighbors went running grabbing water and even spraying the victim with a fire extinguisher just before crews arrived. Judy Schaffer, whose 44-year-old son Stephen was one of the neighbors who attempted the rescue, says he's very distraught. "I am proud of him. He would never think twice about helping somebody out," she said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation but officials say it's not suspicious. They have not identified the victim.