The elderly homeowner was in his house when the fire started.
SPRINGFIELD – An elderly man was able to escape when his home caught on fire while he was inside Sunday night.
The owner, Van Vander, did inhale some smoke from the blaze. He was taken to Baystate Medical Center as a precaution and is expected to stay with family until repairs can be made, said Dennis G. Leger, executive aide to Springfield Fire Commissioner Joseph A. Conant.
The fire was reported just before 8 p.m. in the one-story home at 68 Saffron Circle. The blaze is believed to have started in the bedroom.
When firefighters arrived smoke alarms were sounding, which alerted the homeowner to the blaze. He called the fire department and left the house, Leger said.
“The cause is under investigation, but it is not suspicious,” Leger said.
The fire is believed to have caused about $70,000 in damage. The structure was not seriously damaged but the interior must be repaired before the owner can return, Leger said.
It took firefighters a few minutes to get the blaze under control, he said.