Cigar blamed for apartment fire, injury

Date: 10/31/2008 12:35 PM

WEST FARGO, N.D. (AP) _ Authorities say a cigar appears to have started a chair on fire, damaging a West Fargo apartment and injuring the tenant.

Fire Chief Roy Schatschneider says 61-year-old Leslie Moore had been sitting in the chair in the living room smoking a cigar before the fire on Wednesday.

Moore told authorities he was in the bedroom when a smoke alarm went off. Authorities say Moore suffered minor injuries when he had to walk by the burning chair to get out of the apartment.

Schatschneider says the apartment sustained heavy smoke damage and will likely have to be stripped.

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Copyright 2008 The Associated Press.