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Crime & Safety

Man Who Died in Edmonds Fire Is Identified

The victim, Andrew Duncan Oates, died in his second-floor apartment.

The name of the man who died in an apartment fire in Edmonds on Wednesday has been identified as 52-year-old Andrew Duncan Oates.

The Snohomish County Medical Examiner's office confirmed the death and reports that Oates died from "thermal injuries with inhalation of soot and products of combustion."

Oates was a resident of the Edmonds Highlands apartments in the 23000 block of  Edmonds Way, where fire broke out Wednesday just before 5 p.m. Firefighters located the victim in his second-floor apartment as they searched the building.

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According to the Herald, neighbor Shannon Davis tried to break into Oates' apartment during the fire in an attempt to save him. Snohomish County Fire District 1 spokeswoman Leslie Hynes told the Herald that the smoke detector in the apartment appeared to be lacking a battery. In addition, Hynes said Oates' door might have been blocked by exercise equipment.

Investigators believe the fire was started by a cigarette and suspect the victim may have fallen asleep while smoking.

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More than 30 firefighters from Fire District 1, Shoreline and Lynnwood responded to the fire, which caused more than $550,000 in damage. No one else was injured.

The Snohomish County Chapter of the American Red Cross was on site to help those displaced by the fire.

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