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A disabled man has died in an afternoon townhouse fire in St. Catharines. Police say the victim was able to call 9-1-1 to report the smoke filling his home, but he ultimately couldn’t be saved in time. When firefighters broke through the front door of this unit at 130 St. Augustine drive in the south end of St. Catharines, the man who lived there was in the smoke filled front area of the house.

Fire crews responded quite quickly and were able to enter through the front door and extinguish the fire. The victim suffered severe burns and was carried out of the home, but could not be revived.

Neighbours say the man had a 24 hour caregiver, but for some reason they were not home at the time today. Other neighbours also say the man, who is reported in his mid 40’s, was also always lighting candles.

Firefighters and police were there last year for a small fire inside the townhouse, and at this point investigators are looking at careless smoking and lighting of candles as the cause.