What a way to die !!

[LeRoux Strydom]

Electric wheelchair kills man
26/01/2007 09:31 - (SA)

Los Angeles - A retiree died after his electric wheelchair caught fire and he could not get out, authorities said on Thursday.

Harold Jump, 63, was engulfed in flames and suffered burns over more than 75% of his body, said county coroner's spokesperson Craig Harvey.

Jump was pronounced dead on Wednesday at a Los Angeles hospital, Harvey said.

The wheelchair motor apparently touched off the blaze.

"His wheelchair started to catch on fire, and he just couldn't get out of his wheelchair," said assistant fire chief Mark Bennett of the Los Angeles County fire department.

A neighbour heard the man's screams and an emergency call brought firefighters to the man's home at about 19:30 on Tuesday, Bennett said.

"When we responded, he was fully engulfed in flames," Bennett said. "It's horrible."

Fire officials declined to say what disability the man had.

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,9294,2-10-1462_2060106,00.html


I feel sorry for the guy. Life deals him deck of cards which leaves him in a wheelchair, which then proceeds to kill him. What an unfortunate set of circumstances.

[slakjaw]

If you knew you neighbor. And you heard him scream, why wouldnt you go over to help yourself?

[island_dude]

Well if the guy was anything like one of my neighbors I might have even waited five minutes before making the call...

[on2wheels52]

Not many good ways to die, fire is near the bottom of my list.
How long before the lawsuit is filed?
Jim

[stomachmonkey]

Originally posted by slakjaw
If you knew you neighbor. And you heard him scream, why wouldnt you go over to help yourself?

Could be a lot of reasons from cowardice to a disability. Maybe they did after the 911 call. Article is not clear.

Sucks for the guy.

[URY914]

New Federal law will now if passed:
All wheelchairs will be equiped with a heat activated Halon system.

[slakjaw]

That would be sweet, I want one of those halon mofo's for my 911

[Porsche-O-Phile]

The lawyers are lickin' their chops at this one I'm sure. . .

[hatpix]

How ironic is it that his name was Harold Jump?

[MRM]

Unfortunately that's not all that uncomon of a way to die. Lots of people die strapped to wheelchairs and similar devices. Battery fires are just one of the reasons.

I once handled a case that I consider the most tragic I ever heard of personally. A man, (husband of 30+ years, father of two) was selling his truck to a friend one spring. It didn't run the way he liked, so at his expense he brought it to a shop to be fixed before he turned it over to the buyer. By all accounts it was a small thing, but he was that kind of a guy.

He took the day off work and drove the truck to the local fixit guy. It was a nice spring day and the weather was good so he put an old bicycle in the back to ride home. He road on the sidewalk next to a busy road until he came to an intersection. He crossed in the crosswalk and got tripped up on a crack in the curb/sidewalk juncture as he got back on the sidewalk. Witnesses said he put his foot down as he lost speed to steady himself but his foot got tangled in the kickstand or wheel or something and he took a header. Unfortunately he fell forward right into oncoming traffic and was killed instantly.

I met the family later to show them what happened and answer their questions. They told me that the accident happened at about 9 am. The wife was at work and didn't find out what happened until she got home from work that evening and answered the door to find a police chaplan. What a nice family. Bad things truly happen to good people. I still think about them.

[targa911S]

spontaneous combustion?

[rammstein]

Maybe the neighbor was elderly and didn't have the power to kick in the door. Hell, if it was a security door I doubt most of us could bust it in. I don't know if it was a house or an apt- if it wsa a house, at least you could jump through a window. This is pretty crappy.

[Aurel]

Best way to die: massive heart attack while having sex. Any other way is lousy.

Aurel

[Flatbutt1]

having once been confined to a wheelchair myself for a few months I can really feel for this poor guy. what a horrible way to go.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Originally posted by Aurel
Best way to die: massive heart attack while having sex. Any other way is lousy.

Aurel

That's the second best way to go. Whether you're a prince or a pauper the best way is to simply not wake up. No one gets any better, easier, or less painless way.

My Dad had a series of heart attacks over the last 20 years of his life. He was a lifetime construction guy, massive physique, strong as an ox but his heart was lousy. He went to the bathroom one afternoon and fell asleep leaning against the bathroom sink cabinet and died. I like to think he never felt a thing.

You'd have to know my Dad's personality to know big a kick he'd have gotten out of giving the paramedic's a "BA" while they were trying to bring him back.

[alf]

Originally posted by Aurel
Best way to die: massive heart attack while having sex. Any other way is lousy.

Aurel

I know someone that died that way. It was not a pleasant experience for the sex partner or for the family.

[techweenie]

Originally posted by alf
I know someone that died that way. It was not a pleasant experience for the sex partner or for the family.

...especially if the sex partner is *not* part of the family! Anyone remember Nelson Rockefeller?

[MRM]

I just hope I die quietly in my sleep with a smile on my face like my grandfather, and not screamining in terror like his passengers.

You knew that was coming, didn't you?