Man Fighting Fire Died From Smoke

A Ventura man who died attempting to fight a fire in his apartment with an extinguisher was overcome by smoke, authorities said Monday.

Jan Roy Masin, 48, was found dead in his small unit in the 300 block of Wall Street by firefighters who responded to the blaze about 7 p.m. Sunday, authorities said.

Ventura Fire Capt. Glenn True said Monday that investigators believe a pile of clothing heaped near a gas wall heater ignited the fire.

A small door on the heater that encloses the pilot light was found open, True said. Flames gutted the living room and a bedroom.

According to fire officials, Masin had been visiting an upstairs neighbor when they heard windows popping and smelled smoke from Masin’s first-floor unit.

Masin ran downstairs and grabbed a small extinguisher outside his unit to fight the fire. A gauge on the extinguisher indicated he used more than half the contents before collapsing, True said.

An autopsy found his cause of death was asphyxia by smoke.

“He was found by the back door, and it was locked,” True said.

Neighbors said Masin was a nice guy who liked to chat with residents at the white cinder-block complex off Ventura Avenue.

He is survived by two sisters.