Wood burning stove kills LaFayette man

Fire tile

Peter Whittenberger, 60, of LaFayette, died in a fire at a home on Round Pond road this morning, according to a news release from the Office of Insurance and Safety Commissioner in Georgia.

The fire was ruled accidental by the office. The release said an investigation showed the fire started in the living room area as a result of a malfunctioning wood burning stove.

There was no evidence of a working smoke alarm in the home.

Last year, there were 91 fatal residential fires in Georgia, and 43 of those fires were in homes without a working smoke alarm, according to the release.

This fatality brings Georgia's fire death total to 87 for 2014.

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