DULUTH – Authorities have identified Matthew W. Hurt, 48, as the man who died in an apartment fire on Sunday in Duluth.
Hurt was found dead inside his apartment at 631 E. Third St. on Sunday around 1 p.m. after other residents saw smoke, heard fire alarms and called 911, according to the Duluth Fire Department.
The department is investigating the incident as an accident but has not completed the investigation. No other injuries were reported, and the fire did not spread to other units.
"A working smoke detector potentially saved many lives," said Deputy Fire Chief Jon Otis.
A fire at the same eight-unit apartment complex claimed the life of 36-year-old Michael Simone in August. That early-morning fire was ruled an accident. Sunday's fire occurred in a different unit, Otis said.
Following last year's fire, six of the eight units were cleared for habitation in September, and the remaining two were reopened to renters in January.
"We really haven't as of yet identified anything specific to that building that would cause concern," Otis said.
Brooks Johnson
