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Man burned over 80 percent of his body in house fire

COLUMBUS (WCMH) — One man is in the hospital after being found on fire while the house he was in was burning.

A neighbor, LJ Smith, said he was the house catch fire and ran over to help, not knowing he was going to find a man engulfed in flames.


Columbus fire chief Steve Martin said the fire spread through the house.

When it started, Smith said he heard a boom and ran over to help.

Smith said one man ran out with the back of his head on fire and Smith helped put that out.

Then he saw two feet sticking out from the front door.

Smith said he pulled the man out to the front yard and began putting dirt on him, then used a cushion in the trash to try to put the flames out.

“He was screaming, ‘Put me out, put me out,’ and then he started screaming for his mamma, so I knew he was in his right mind, but anytime you scream for your mamma, you know he’s hurting,” Smith said.

Martin said the man has second and third-degree burns covering 80 percent of his body. He is listed in critical condition.

A firefighter also injured his back while battling the blaze. He was taken to a local hospital in stable condition.

The fire is under investigation.