Authorities looking for a man who may have been burned in arson

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A man who may have been seriously burned<br>while trying to save a dog trapped in a house fire is missing,<br>authorities said.<br> <br>The state Fire Marshal's Office is looking

Wednesday, September 22nd 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- A man who may have been seriously burned
while trying to save a dog trapped in a house fire is missing,
authorities said.

The state Fire Marshal's Office is looking into Tuesday's blaze
along with the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office, fire marshal
spokeswoman Shannon Rowland said.

"I don't know whether he's a suspect or a victim," Capt. Bill
Bass of the Tulsa County Sheriff's office said.

No missing person report has been filed, officials said.

Firefighters from Tulsa and volunteers from the small community
of Oakhurst responded to a fire about 3:30 a.m. at a rental
property in far west Tulsa, Ms. Rowland said.

The fire, which has been ruled as arson, originated in the front
or living room area of the home, she said. Damage was estimated at
$70,000.

Officials have not released the name of the missing man pending
notification of relatives.

Tenant Jerry Nelson said he left the house about 6:45 p.m.
Monday and, when he returned, the house was engulfed in flames. A
50-year-old man and his girlfriend were his guests at the time, he
said.

An eyewitness said one of the guests sustained burns in the fire
and is unaccounted for, Ms. Rowland said.

Cliff Sartin, a cousin of the missing man, said the man
reportedly went back into the house to try to save a small dog that
belonged to Nelson, but the dog hasn't been found.