An elderly man died last night when a fire, reportedly caused by careless smoking, raced though his apartment above a dry cleaning business in the 200 block of S. Conkling St., said a city fire department spokesman.
Battalion Chief Hector Torres said the man, Joseph Heckrotte, believed to be in his 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene and that his body was taken to the state medical examiner's office where an autopsy would show if he died from burns or smoke inhalation.
He said evidence gathered at the scene indicated the man appeared to have been smoking in bed and that his body was found in the bedroom of his apartment by firefighters.
Another tenant of the building was overcome by smoke and was being treated at the Maryland Shock Trauma Center. His condition was not available but he was expected to survive. His name also was not available.
A third tenant also suffered the effects of smoke inhalation but refused medical treatment at the scene.
In all, seven people live in apartments on the second and third floors above the Diamond cleaners and tailors, located on the ground floor.