A 75-year-old man who died in an Escondido house fire on Saturday had a history of smoking while using an oxygen machine, and authorities are investigating the blaze as an accident, arson investigators said.
The man’s body was found around 4 p.m. shortly after Escondido police and firefighters were called to the scene of a blaze burning at a home on South Upas Street near West Avenue, police said.
The man’s body was found inside one of the rooms after firefighters extinguished the flames.
Escondido police spokesperson Lt. Ryan Hicks said the man had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a do-not-resuscitate order in place. His name has not been released by the county Medical Examiner’s Office.
“He had a history of smoking while on oxygen, which appears consistent with the circumstances of this incident,” Hicks said. “It does not look suspicious at this time, and it appears accidental.”
The fire is being investigated by the Escondido Fire Department and police.