By VIRGINIA SHANK
Tribune Chronicle
LEAVITTSBURG - Fire officials said they believe that the man trapped inside a house fire on North Leavitt Road on Thursday called 911 from a cell phone before passing out.
Firefighters found Louis Kawecki, 60, unconscious inside the two-story house, close to the front door of the burning home.
Officials believe Kawecki had tried to get out of the house and that he had made at least one emergency call from a cell phone.
His wife, along with two children, escaped the blaze.
The husband and wife each remained in critical condition at MetroHealth in Cleveland late Friday afternoon, a hospital spokeswoman said.
Information about the children, transported by ambulance to Trumbull Memorial Hospital, was not available. On Thursday, Warren Township fire Chief Ken Schick said the woman and children were taken to the hospital with possible smoke inhalation.
A spokesman for the state fire marshal said late Friday afternoon that the fire, which destroyed the home at 541 N. Leavitt Road, remained under investigation.
Meanwhile, Schick said 911 dispatchers received at least one call likely made by Kawecki before he passed out.
"There was a cell phone and we were able to match up an emergency call that was made from it with a call that came into Warren city," Schick said.
Warren dispatchers received a call from an individual who said "The House is on fire. Oh, God."
Dispatchers remained on the line for a few minutes; however, the individual said nothing else to them.
Lordstown dispatchers also received several calls in reference to the fire, from multiple numbers, which broke out about 10:45 p.m. Firefighters said that when they arrived at the scene, flames were shooting from the home's windows. Original calls reported a working structure fire with possible entrapment.
Crews extinguished the flames by 11:30 p.m. Champion, Braceville and Warren city assisted Warren Township.