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Moorhead Fire Dept 111 12th St N Moorhead MN 56560
(218) 299-5432 |
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Moorhead firefighters stand outside 1311 3rd Ave. S. on Tuesday. The two elderly residents of the home, both in their 90s, died from injuries suffered in the fire. Darren Gibbins / The Forum |
A cooking accident caused a house fire Tuesday that killed an elderly Moorhead couple, fire department officials said today.
Hosea Rose, 96, and his wife, Emma Rose, 90, died at MeritCare Hospital in Fargo from injuries suffered in the fire at 1311 3rd Ave. S.
An investigation by the Moorhead Fire Department and a deputy state fire marshal determined the fire started on the kitchen stove.
Moorhead Fire Marshal Rich Duysen said it appeared Emma Rose was trying to heat some pasta noodles on the stove, but turned on the wrong burner.
Instead, the oven heated an aluminum pan containing some type of grease product, Duysen said. The pan melted, causing the contents to spill onto burner and ignite.
"That's what our best guess is," said Duysen, adding investigators are 95 percent certain.
The fire was reported at 6:07 p.m.
When firefighters arrived on the scene of, the couple was found unresponsive near the front of the home.
Emergency workers performed CPR, but both victims later died at MeritCare.
The couple's age and lack of mobility made it difficult for them to escape, Duysen said. Firefighters located a cane and a walker inside the home.
Their bodies have been sent to the Ramsey County (Minn.) Medical Examiner for autopsy reports.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Amy Dalrymple at (701) 241-5590
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Last modified: August 02, 2007 |
Fatal
Moorhead fire caused by cooking accident, officials say