The victim of the Saturday night fire in Winfield has been identified as David C. Murphy, 54, of Winfield, fire marshal Alan Stoll said Monday afternoon. Murphy had lived at 510 E. 11th for quite some time.
Stoll said the cause of the fire remains undetermined but said the blaze was confined to Murphy’s small first-floor apartment. The fire burned in a room separate from where Murphy was found but an open doorway connected the two rooms.
"It doesn’t take much smoke," Stoll said. "A small as that apartment was, it’s going to fill up quick."
Firefighters found Murphy quickly after they arrived but he was not breathing and could not be resuscitated. Given the time of night, Stoll said, Murphy may have been sleeping when the fire started.
Fire officials said Murphy’s death is a good reminder about the importance of having properly installed smoke detectors and a plan for exiting your home. Families should identify two escape routes from their home and make a meeting place outside to account for everyone, Stoll said.
