Hagenow (dpa / mv) - A fire alarm and attentive neighbors probably saved the life of a 57-year-old man in Hagenow (Ludwigslust-Parchim). As a police spokesman said, the tenant was asleep in his burning bed early Friday morning and was not woken up by the fire alarm. Neighbors heard the beeping from his apartment and alerted the fire department and police. They opened the apartment door and woke up the man, who found 1.37 per thousand in a breath alcohol test.
The man had fallen asleep with a lit cigarette, which had ignited the mattress and slatted frame. He was treated on an outpatient basis for smoke inhalation. In addition, the suspicion of negligent arson is being investigated.
