Pet sitter burned when Conroe mobile home erupts in flames
CONROE, Texas (KTRK) -- Firefighters say a man left to pet sit his relative's dog was severely injured in an early-morning house fire in north Montgomery County.
Crews arrived to the Shadow Bay subdivision on Lake Conroe just after 5:30 a.m., and found the mobile home engulfed in flames.
Firefighters said the 55-year-old man who was sleeping inside suffered 1st and 2nd degree burns and severe smoke inhalation as he tried to escape.
The victim was taken to Conroe Regional Medical Center where he remains with life-threatening injuries. The family dog was able to escape without injury.
Fire investigators learned the victim's family had just moved into the home two months ago after another fire destroyed the home they were living in.
Sadly, the home did not appear to have smoke alarms.
A space heater is believed to have sparked the fire that ultimately destroyed the home. Firefighters determined the heater was near where the fire started.
Investigator J. Manz with the Montgomery County Fire Marshal's Office said the last three house fires in the county all involved space heaters.
In one of those fires, a resident left the space heater on for 11 days straight during the cold weather in our area, causing the home's wiring to overload and fail.
Fire officials said space heaters should only be used to temporarily heat a home, and should never be left unattended.
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