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An evening fire at Prescott Friendship Villa took the life of 58-year-old Robert Van Kirk on Sunday evening.
County Emergency Management Coordinator, Doug Barlet told Linn County Commissioners on Monday the fire occurred Sunday evening.
According to a news release, Linn County sheriff’s deputies Tanner Ogden and Mike Wheeler stopped at 9:30 p.m. for a routine check at the Prescott Country View Nursing Home, during which time they heard people shouting from across the street at the Prescott Friendship Villa at 132 E. Third St. The deputies noticed smoke and engulfing flames coming from one of the units.
“After calling the fire department, Ogden used the sheriff unit’s fire extinguisher, as did Mound City Police Chief Ryan Collier after arriving. The fire had already grown too large, so deputies attempted to make entry through a back window but smoke and heat were too intense,” the news release stated.
Linn County Rural Fire District No. 1 units from Prescott were first on the scene, followed by Mound City, Pleasanton and Blue Mound.
Firefighters initially attempted to make entry from both the front and rear of the structure to locate the occupant.
According to the press release, Van Kirk was found unresponsive in the apartment’s bedroom. The assistant coroner was called, and Van Kirk was pronounced dead at the scene. Also arriving from Bonner Springs was the Kansas State Fire Marshal to assist in the investigation. The death has been ruled accidental, and the fire appeared to have started in the Van Kirk’s living room.
As a result of the fire, three other apartment occupants have been displaced.
Betty Harris, a resident at Friendship Villa, said she called 911 when Van Kirk’s neighbors on the south, David and Sharon Newton, yelled for someone to call.
A witness who was working at the nursing home across the street and had relatives living in one of the units said an explosion was heard, but “We were not able to confirm there was or was not an explosion,” Barlet said.
The water heater was a gas heater, Barlet did confirm.
Van Kirk lived in the north/south wing containing four apartments, his being located at the end, next to the laundry facilities and furnace room.
Harris sad the hot water had been turned off, and while the Newtons had suffered some fire and water damage, they are safe and staying with a Pleasanton relative.
Two years ago, Van Kirk was disabled and lost his home as a result of a tornado that touched down in Prescott. After that, he and his father moved to the Friendship Villa, where his father helped care for him until a year ago when he passed away.
Harris said Van Kirk’s sister from Oregon was scheduled to arrive Sunday in Prescott to help care for him.
“David broke out the window in the rear of the apartment, and Robert’s dog jumped out, and was burned in a few places,” Betty Newton said.
Barlet said the dog was taken to a veterinarian in Bourbon County around 1 or 2 a.m. Monday, and was reported to be doing fine.
“Doug called me at 9:42 p.m. to let me know about the fire because it occurred in my district,” said County Commissioner Vicki Leonard. “I was there, I didn’t really do much. I was very grateful to the ladies that worked across the street at the Prescott Country View Nursing Home for helping care for the residents, they deserve the credit. They are a great community and took care of one another.”
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