Firefighters say ashes from a hot stove ignited the fire that killed a man in Scottsbluff last night.
Firefighters say they responded to the fire on 5th Avenue last night and found 92-year-old Salome Blanco Sr. unresponsive in the living room. He was later pronounced dead.
Blanco's wife was able to escape without injury.
Fire marshals say ashes from a stove were not properly disposed of and ignited on the back porch devastating the side of the home and a neighboring home.
Scottsbluff Fire Prevention Officer Zeke Bowen says that this fire could have been prevented.
"Yes, this fire could have been prevented from proper disposal of your ashes." Bowen says "We recommend that you put your ashes in a metal container with an air tight lid and it's always a good idea to wet the ashes."
Two vehicles were also destroyed in the fire.
