Fatal Oshkosh Fire

On December 26, 2014 at approximately 01:17am, Oshkosh Police Officers along with the Oshkosh Fire Department responded to a report of a male subject on fire in an upstairs apartment in the 900 block of Bismarck Av. Officers and firefighters discovered heavy smoke and fire coming from the upstairs part of the duplex and a female occupant leaning out of a 2^nd floor window.

Officers evacuated the lower apartment tenants while the female victim was rescued by the firefighters through the window, eventually transporting her to a local hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The male occupant was also located by firefighters inside the 2^nd floor apartment and transported to a local hospital for severe burns and smoke inhalation. The male victim was then flown to a Madison Burn Unit where he succumbed to his injuries.

 

The deceased victim is identified as Stephen (Dallas) A. West 64 years of age. The cause of death was determined to be smoke and heat inhalation.

The female victim, Kandi West 57 years of age, is recovering from non-life threatening injuries.

 

A joint investigation involving the Oshkosh Police Department, Oshkosh Fire Department, and the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office concluded that the cause of the fire was accidental. The fire was caused by the male victim smoking with oxygen present.