A Layton man died when a propane lantern he was using for heat ignited a nearby sofa and then spread the fire throughout his mobile home Friday morning in a Layton mobile-home park.
Layton Fire Chief Allan Peek identified the victim as Lance Couturier, 27.Peek said the older-model mobile home at 301 N. Main St. was fully involved, with sheets of flame coming out of the windows, when his fire crews arrived at 7:45 a.m. Friday.
Two crews went into the burning unit and found the victim on the kitchen floor. Peek said it appears he was overcome by fumes.
"We haven't fixed the cause of death yet," Peek said. "It doesn't appear that he burned to death. One report we have is they found an 80 percent level of carbon monoxide in his blood."
The trailer had no utilities hooked up other than water, Peek said, and the victim was using the propane lantern, which operates off a small gas canister, for heat and cooking.
The lantern was found near the sofa in the trailer, and Peek said investigators believe its heat set the furniture on fire.
Firefighters found four more propane bottles inside the trailer, Peek said, and one apparently ignited just as they were entering the unit, sending a fireball over their head.
"No one was injured. It sure got their attention, though," the chief said. The trailer was destroyed.