TUKWILA, Wash. (AP) — When firefighters were able to enter a burning home at Tukwila they found the body of the homeowner, a man known as a neighborhood character with problems.
Fire Marshal Don Tomasu told KOMO Radio the home was cluttered and holes had been cut in the floor as a boobytrap for intruders. Tomasu says firefighters were aware of the holes because they had been called out to the home before.
Neighbors who smelled smoke and heard the sound of flames called 911 about 4:30 a.m. Monday. Arriving firefighters found the home engulfed in fire and smoke.
People who live in the neighborhood near the Southcenter mall say the man in his 50s or 60s was a Vietnam war veteran who had had numerous attempts to help him clean out debris.
