Fire Fatality Tied to Smoke Inhalation
A Ventura man killed in a kitchen fire inside his apartment on Thursday died of smoke inhalation, according to the county coroner’s office.
Barry Van Vliet, a resident at 104 N. Crimea St., was found dead in his kitchen at 6:40 p.m. after neighbors used garden hoses to aid firefighters in putting out the flames.
The victim’s clothes were completely burned and police officials are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Sgt. George Morris of the Ventura Police Department said the fire did not appear to be set on purpose.
“It was most probably an accident,” he said. “We haven’t found any foul play at all.”
More than a dozen firefighters battled the flames, and damage was mostly contained to the kitchen. Total damage was estimated at $30,000.
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