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Eagan man dies in duplex firePosted: 12/24/03 by Erin Johnson A man who was killed early Sunday morning when a fire blazed through his Eagan home ignited the fire himself, investigators said. Firefighters found the body of Mark Edward Donahue, 31, in the bedroom of a duplex located at 3840 Denmark Avenue. Donahue died of carbon monoxide poisoning, according to the autopsy report. Investigators said he set the fire intentionally with gasoline. ìWe determined that gasoline was used as an enhancer,î said State Fire Marshal Ron Rahman. ìThe fire pattern and evidence found at the scene indicate that no one else was involved.î Eagan Police and Fire Departments responded to the fire at 5:18 a.m. after residents on the other side of the duplex called to report flames. ìThey heard breaking glass and then saw flames come out the back of the structure,î said Eagan Police Officer Jennifer Ruby. Police responded to the scene first but were not able to enter the building due to heavy smoke, Ruby said. Emily Hanson, also a resident of Donahueís side of the duplex, was able to escape from a bedroom window without injury. She told firefighters that someone else was inside, but extreme-heat gases forced back firefightersí attempt to enter the home, police said. After the blaze was contained, firefighters found Donahueís body, lying in bed, in an upstairs bedroom. Police said that Donahueís side of the duplex sustained extensive damage and is uninhabitable. ìThe other side sustained heavy smoke damage,î Ruby said. Erin Johnson is at eagan.thisweek@ecm-inc.com. -- Check out this week's newspaper for more about your community. © Thisweek Newspapers |
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