Man dies from trying to retrieve his cell phone from a fire

[VenomVsSpidey]

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/11/16/2009-11-16_queens_man_nathaniel_lagree_dies_after_helping_family_escape_fire.html

A 75-year-old man helped his family escape his burning Queens home early Monday - but died after running back into the house for his cell phone, witnesses and FDNY sources said.

Nathaniel Lagree was found lifeless in the basement of his smoky St. Albans home a short time after the fire ignited at 6:20 a.m., FDNY officials said.

Lagree helped pry open the front door of his Zoller Road home to free his wife, Betty, and daughter, Patricia, from the choking smoke, witnesses said.

But because the cordless home phone he carried out was not working, Lagree dashed back into the dangerous home to grab his mobile phone, witnesses and the sources said.

"He saved them," said Bryant Lattimer, a schoolteacher who lives next door. "I don't know why he went back - but when he did, he didn't come out."

Lattimer woke up when a coughing Patricia Lagree rang his doorbell in a panic to say that her father had not reemerged from the smoke-filled house.

"I went back and saw black smoke," said Lattimer, 27. "It was coming from all the windows. I tried to go back and save him (and) I heard a tapping at the home's back windows."

"But it wasn't him," he said. "It was just the heat."

Firefighters broke down the two-story home's rear door and tossed all of the furniture out of the basement in a desperate attempt to locate and save Lagree, but the doting father wasn't breathing when they discovered him.

Lagree, a retired Con Ed worker and Korean war veteran, was rushed to New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens where he died a short time later, officials said.

"He was a great guy and he was so nice," said Raymond Scretchen, 45, who is married to the dead man's niece. "He was so sweet."

Betty and Patricia Lagree were also taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor burns, officials said. They are expected to recover.

The stubborn blaze - sparked by an electrical short in the basement ceiling - took firefighters nearly an hour to extinguish, FDNY officials said.

A FDNY spokesman urged people to stay out of burning buildings until firefighters have secured the dangerous structures.

 

[katie_girl09]

A cellphone? Really?!

 

[Spider-Vader]

I could sort of understand, why so he could call the Fire Department. But wouldn't his neighbors call anyway? Unless he lived next to the *****iest people ever.

 

[SuperFerret]

As screwed up as this sounds, it's sad because the man was 75. If he were 25, we'd all be laughing at him (until the party poopers come in with "someone just died, show some respect for someone who you'd never met and died because of a badly made decision").

 

[SurfDUI]

At least he was older and had lived..and died a hero..sortof.

I feel him, my whole day to day is in this phone. I don't know my boss's # @ work without my G1.

Still tho runnin in after it in a house fire...I definitly would think 2seconds about.

 

[SuperFerret]

Can't you just ask your boss for his number? Would s/he really mind if you did, particularly if your phone melted in a fire?

 

[Morg]

Maybe he needed to Twitter about the fire.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Maybe he needed to Twitter about the fire.

Oh now that's just low, especially coming from a Mod.

Spoiler

Twitter 10:00pm from phone-Can't escape....fail

 

[terry78]

That was dementia setting in or something.


People go back into houses for the craziest things during a fire. OMG my cat!

****, let that ***** burn.

 

[SuperFerret]

People go back into houses for the craziest things during a fire. OMG my cat!

****, let that ***** burn.

 

[Lunar_Wolf]

Cats are wonderful creatures.

 

[terry78]

I'm not a fan myself. The dog would at least attempt to bust itself out in some manner.

 

[SuperFerret]

A cat would too.

Point is, if they can't save themselves, I'd save my pet over a person I don't know.

 

[terry78]

Or if your cell phone was on contract.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

Very unfortunate.

And stupid.

 

[SuperFerret]

Or if your cell phone was on contract.

Cell phones can be replaced.

 

[Aesop Rocks]

brb, cell phone.

 

[Paroxysm]

just when i thought people couldn't get any dumber.


thanks grandpa!

 

[enterthemadness]

That was dementia setting in or something.


People go back into houses for the craziest things during a fire. OMG my cat!

****, let that ***** burn.

YOU!

Personally though, I wouldn't be...well...let's just say I can see myself getting HULK pissed when my cats do die, so yeah, I run back in to try and save them. And if I fail, God is gonna not want me in Heaven if u get my drift. Yes, that pissed.

 

[Ace of Knaves]

You're like that crazy cat lady from the Simpsons right? THe one that makes weird sounds like "Oheheh ahha eheohhhehehaaaahah"

But this is a terrible day for humanity. Let's not forget this guy was a hero. But the phone was one innocent too many. *salutes*

 

[Aesop Rocks]

You're like that crazy cat lady from the Simpsons right? THe one that makes weird sounds like "Oheheh ahha eheohhhehehaaaahah"

But this is a terrible day for humanity. Let's not forget this guy was a hero. But the phone was one innocent too many. *salutes*

 

[Lantern Venom]

A crisis situation can cause people to think and act in strange ways. He saved two lives so he should still be saluted.

 

[Nathan]

What a dumb way to die, especially after successfully getting his family to safety.

 

[SuBe]

Was it an iPhone?

 

[enterthemadness]

You're like that crazy cat lady from the Simpsons right? THe one that makes weird sounds like "Oheheh ahha eheohhhehehaaaahah"

But this is a terrible day for humanity. Let's not forget this guy was a hero. But the phone was one innocent too many. *salutes*

You got me like bang, you got me.

Was it an iPhone?

more like a 1998 cell phone.