Crook County man succumbs to fire injuries

(Update: Young passes away at Portland burn center)

A 70-year-old Crook County man rescued from his burning travel trailer early Tuesday has died of his injuries at Legacy Burn Center in Portland, Undersheriff James Savage said Thursday.

Police and a neighbor rescued Frank Young, wo authorities said was severely burned when he set his travel trailer ablaze early Tuesday in what they said was a murder-suicide attempt. A woman also in the trailer was able to break free from him and escape, they added.

A sheriff’s deputy and Prineville police officer were dispatched around 6:40 a.m. Tuesdasy to a domestic disturbance report at the Lakeshore RV Park by Ochoco Reservoir on Northeast Ochoco Highway, James Savage said.

A caller told 911 dispatchers a woman from an adjacent space had come over with blood on her face, but declined to say more and hung up, Savage said. The neighbor called back a few minutes later, saying the adjacent travel trailer was now on fire.

Crook County Fire and Rescue also responded to the RV park to assist. The responding deputy and officer soon Frank Young was still in the burning travel trailer.

The officer and deputy, assisted by a neighbor, were able to break into the burning trailer, find Young in the bedroom and pull him to safety, then put out the fire with extinguishers, Savage said.

Young was taken by fire medics to St. Charles Prineville and later flown to Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland with life-threatening injuries, the undersheriff said.

The woman who escaped the home was taken by family members to the Prineville hospital for treatment of minor injuries. She was assisted by the Crook County victim’s advocate and the American Red Cross.