PORT TOWNSEND — A man died this morning in a house fire in the 300 block of the Cook Avenue Extension, East Jefferson Fire Rescue spokesman Bill Beezley said.
Beezley said the man, who has not been identified pending notification of his family, apparently died of smoke inhalation in the blaze, which was reported at 8:39 a.m.
He was one of two adult male occupants of the home.
The other man survived the blaze unharmed, Beezley said.
He had gone outside to investigate the fire and saw flames shooting out of the basement windows while the other man stayed in the house, Beezley said.
The man who was inside the house was carried outside, where emergency personnel were unsuccessful in reviving him, Beezley said.
The cause of the blaze, which partially destroyed the one-story residence, is undetermined but broke out in the basement, where an oil furnace and space heater were located along with a couple of classic cars, Beezley said.
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Senior Staff Writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 55650, or at pgottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
