A man was seriously burned Sunday in a house fire that apparently started when he got too close to a space heater, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department.
Shawn Heitz, 31, was sent to Wishard Memorial Hospital.
The fire was reported at 11:43 a.m. in the first block of South Catherwood Avenue on the Eastside. Firefighters said Heitz, who has cerebral palsy, fell on the floor of his bedroom, and a space heater ignited his pajamas.
Members of Heitz's family found him on fire in the bedroom, extinguished the flames and took him out of the burning bedroom to a neighboring house, according to a statement from Capt. Rita Burris, IFD spokeswoman. Heitz's mother, Tonya Owens, 51, was burned on her hands when she put the fire out on her son's pajamas and was sent to Wishard for treatment, along with her husband, Steve Owens, 49, who suffered smoke inhalation.
The fire caused about $20,000 in damage.
