Grandfather killed in NW Houston fire sparked by smoking while on oxygen

HOUSTON, Texas – A grandfather died in an apartment fire in NW Houston early Saturday morning.

At least one other person was taken to the hospital after escaping the burning building. Two children were also home at the time of the fire, but weren’t hurt.

Family members tell KPRC 2′s Gage Goulding that the victim is David Brown.

According to the Houston Fire Department, they received a 911 call around 12:24 a.m. on Saturday at the Pine Forest Park Apartments on Deep Forest Drive.

The fire starting after Brown, who was wearing his medical oxygen, lit a cigarette. His wife told KPRC 2 that Brown’s head was engulfed in flames.

“He was standing there and he had them little small. He’s not supposed to be smoking with that oxygen,” Margaret Booker-Brown said. “He lit a cigarette like this here and it was flame all the same flame. It was flames all up on over his head, all the way to his ears.”

Margaret grabbed her two grandchildren and ran.

Her husband never made it out.

Houston Firefighters rescued David, but he later died at the hospital.

“He had health problems and things, but he didn’t have to go out like this,” said David’s step-daughter Aletha Booker. “My poor father. I don’t even know what to say, how to feel about this right now.”

A total of eight apartment homes were damaged by the fire, smoke and water. Several families are now faced with finding a new place to live in the meantime.

The Houston Fire Department says the official cause of the fire remains under investigation.