Lawtey man dies in house fire
A cat roams the back yard of a residence, 22350 Park St. in Lawtey, destroyed by a late-night fire which remained under investigation on Monday. One of the home's occupants, John McCauley, 70, died in the fire, the Bradford County Sheriff's Office reported.
DOUG FINGER/The Gainesville SunPublished: Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 12:17 a.m.
A 70-year-old man died when fire erupted at his Lawtey home late Sunday night, the Bradford County Sheriff's Office reported.
The cause of the blaze at 22350 Park St. remained under investigation Monday by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
But Bradford County Sheriff Bob Milner said it appeared the fatal fire was accidental.
The body of one of the home's residents, John McCauley, was found in his bed, Milner said.
Three other people apparently lived at the single-story home: a 75-year-old woman and two men, one 65 and the other 42. Treated at hospitals in Gainesville, their injuries were not considered life-threatening, according to the Sheriff's Office.
The woman told investigators she awoke to the smell of smoke and found the living room area of the house in flames.
"By the time the three of them got out, they realized he was not with them," Milner said about McCauley. No one could get back inside to rescue the man due to the flames.
Two deputies said flames shot out the building's windows as they arrived at the home after a neighbor called to report the fire at about midnight.
The Lawtey Volunteer Fire Department put out the fire, but the home was a total loss, Milner said.
Lise Fisher can be reached at (352) 374-5092 or fisherl@gvillesun.com.
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