BRYAN, TX — A Bryan man has been confirmed dead due to an apartment fire last Sunday night.
According to the Bryan Fire Department, on April 11, firefighters were dispatched to a fire at the 2700 block of Evergreen Circle, near Peppertree Drive.
The identity of the 68-year-old victim has been confirmed to be Melvin Moten; the preliminary cause of his death being smoke inhalation.
The Bryan Fire Department confirmed to KRHD 25 News, that preliminary investigations suggest the fire may have been caused by a cigarette and fueled by oxygen tanks inside; both reportedly belonged to the victim.
Additionally, they stated the room in which the victim was discovered had no smoke detectors installed. A common habit of habitual indoor smokers, according to the Bryan Fire Department.
It's reported by a fire department spokesman, that the elderly man was bedridden and this allegedly prevented his wife from being able to help him escape. It's also being reported the wife, alongside another occupant of the apartment, were able to escape themselves.
The Bryan Fire Department confirmed no other apartments were displaced by this fire. However, they stated that the American Red Cross was present to help out other residents of the 2-story fourplex building.
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