COLUMBIA — A Columbia resident suffered an injury when his central city home caught on fire Wednesday night.
At 10:44 p.m., Columbia firefighters were called to the scene, 200 Oak St., after police had already arrived, the Columbia Fire Department said in a news release. Smoke and fire were coming from the front of the home, and neighbors told police that a person was still inside.
Using a portable fire extinguisher, police extinguished some of the flames around the door and saw a man in the living room of the home, according to the release.
A police officer reached the man and pulled him to safety. Moments later, the living room became engulfed in flames.
Paramedics took him to University Hospital, where staff at the George Peak Burn Center checked his health. His injuries did not appear to be life threatening, the release said.
The man’s name was not released.
Columbia firefighters extinguished the fire in under 10 minutes. No police officers or firefighters were injured while battling the blaze.
The estimated damage to the home was $50,000. Fire investigators said the fire started in the living room, but its cause remains unknown, the release said. Investigators did not see the fire as suspicious, according to the release.