Man found dead inside home after fire in Fifth Ward, woman also burned, Houston firefighters say

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Two separate house fires kept firefighters busy across the Houston area overnight. At one scene, a man died in the flames.

Flames tore through a home on Texas Avenue in the city of South Houston, and one person died in a fire in the Greater Fifth Ward in northeast Houston.

At the South Houston scene on Texas Street and Avenue H, firefighters said the flames destroyed most of the back of the house. All four people inside got out safely, as well as two dogs who were being checked out by medical personnel.

Meanwhile, officials said a woman survived but was injured after she escaped the burning home in the Fifth Ward.

Now, investigators are looking into what sparked the fire on Lila Street near Ralston Street.

The Houston Fire Department was called to the scene just before 2 a.m. Friday.

When firefighters arrived, smoke and flames were already shooting out of the home, and there was a woman who had already gotten out. She had burns on her hands and was taken to the hospital.

Sadly, firefighters said a man did not get out in time and died in the fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The district chief gave some fire safety tips for this time of year.

"Obviously around here, you know there's a lot of space heaters, people are using space heaters, and they just need to be aware of how many things they have plugged into outlets and what they lay on top of the cords and everything else," District Chief Justin Barnes said. "Right now, with it being as cold as it is, fire safety is at a premium."

Authorities did not immediately release any further information about the victim.

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