Report: St. Augustine man dead after oxygen tank catches fire while he smoked cigarettes

A St. Johns County man was discovered dead in a chair in his home after it was determined he likely caught fire while smoking cigarettes.

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An oxygen tank was discovered at the scene, a St. Augustine Police report said.

The 67-year-old man was discovered by his daughter, who alerted police after he failed to pick up his phone. The daughter discovered her father in the apartment with the oxygen tank still beeping. The daughter kicked it until it it quit, the report said.

The daughter said her father smoked cigarettes but usually turns off the oxygen when he does. First responders found an ashtray, a pack of cigarettes and a light in front of him.

The man's body was burned, but the rest of the man's home contained only smoke damage and didn't appear to catch fire, the report said.

Cox Media Group