Scorched walls and fire-ravaged furniture are all that remain of a first-floor living room at 15-17 Stanley St. after an early Sunday morning fire in which one man died and five other were injured. A London teenager, who lived at the rooming house, has been charged with arson and murder in connection with the blaze. (Photo: London Fire Press)
A London teen-ager was scheduled to appear in court today charged with murder and arson in connection with a blaze early Sunday at a Stanley Street rooming house that took the life of Richard Edward Morton, 44.
Paul Christopher DeMarsh, 18, who, like Morton, roomed at 15-17 Stanley St., was charged later Sunday.
Morton died of smoke inhalation in the fire that caused about $200,000 damage to part of a block of four semi-detached brick units.
Four of five persons injured in the blaze were treated and released from hospital for smoke inhalation, cuts and bruises.
The fifth, Richard Doucet, broke an ankle when he escaped by jumping from the second floor balcony after climbing out a window.
The fire, which began in the east wing of the building, is being investigated by the Ontario fire marshal’s office.
After the fire started, a television set exploded, blowing out windows and increasing the smoke.
Anna Hendrick, landlady of the building and one of the five injured, said DeMarsh came running through the rooming house about 2 a.m. Sunday, yelling “There’s a fire.”
She said she let him out the door and went to see if she could put it out.
“I thought it was just a cigarette burning at first. But, from the start, you could see it was a big fire.”
She said she went to get everybody up to get them out of the building. She tried to get some of the furniture out too.
Nine persons were taken out by the rescue unit.
Building owner Grant Hendrick said Sunday that DeMarsh was a resident of 15-17 Stanley St. for about three weeks.
Morton, he said, lived in the rooming house for at least five or six years. He said he was single and was not employed.
