Man Dies Following Tyler Fire

TYLER — One person hospitalized following a Tyler fire, has died. Richard Stewart was first taken to a Tyler hospital and later transferred to a Dallas hospital where he died. He was burned in a weekend fire at the William Booth Garden Apartments on Golden Road, just off Front Street. Crews were called out around 7:00 Sunday morning after a passerby noticed smoke coming from a building and notified authorities. Fire department officials say the passerby then responded to the scene, where he assisted another civilian rescuer in removing Stewart from the burning structure. Firefighters quickly gained control of the blaze, containing it to one apartment unit.

According to investigators, a neighbor heard the victim calling for help and responded to the neighboring apartment. He found the Stewart lying at the doorway of the apartment, with his clothes on fire. As he was moving the victim from the doorway, the passerby arrived and assisted in pulling the man further from the burning structure. One rescuer worked to extinguish the fire on the victim’s clothing, while the other used a water hose to spray into the apartment, as the fire department was en route.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, though investigators believe it originated in the living room. Several residents were temporarily relocated to another location.