The fire is thought to be caused by a lit cigarette
One man is dead after a fire ripped through his apartment unit at the Budget Host Inn early Tuesday.
An autopsy report from Duluth revealed Falls resident Runo A. Korpi, 70, died due to medial reasons prior to the fire. The fire is believed to be caused by a lit cigarette, Fire Chief Jerry Jensen said.
A 911 fire call was received around 3:43 a.m. Tuesday from hotel manager Les Ellsworth. According to Jensen, the occupant of the room next to Korpi’s woke up to his fire alarm going off and alerted Ellsworth. In an effort to save Korpi, the two kicked in Korpi’s door; however, they were unable to gain access into the unit. Oxygen fed the fire once the door was kicked in and windows surrounding Korpi’s unit blew out causing further damage.
The rest of the building was evacuated safely. Jensen estimated there were 14 other people in the Budget Host Inn at the time of the fire. The Red Cross put those in need of shelter up at American’s Best Value Inn and Suites in the Falls.
Korpi’s one-room apartment on the first floor of the hotel is considered a total loss. Surrounding units only sustained smoke damage, Jensen said.
“We are very lucky the fire was contained to the first floor,” Jensen said. “If it had climbed to the second floor and had been picked up by the wind, it would have been even more devastating.”
Jensen added that the state fire marshal confirmed the building was up to code, and said it was fortunate the smoke alarms sounded.
“Those alarms saved a lot of lives,” he said.
A source told The Journal that Korpi had lived in his Budget Host apartment for two to three years.
“When an event like this happens, it traumatizes all those who are involved,” Jensen said.
Firefighters were on the scene until around 7 a.m., and investigators and other officials spent a majority of Tuesday at the hotel.
