Fire officials name victims in Cedar Rapids fire

Questions still remain about a late night Tuesday fire that sent two Cedar Rapids people to the hospital.  But fire officials have identified the victims in the case.

Darrell De Wayne Potter, 61, 3230 Dalewood Avenue S.E. was rescued by firefighters who responded to the call that came in shortly after 10:00 p.m. Tuesday night.  Potter was initially taken to Mercy Hospital and then transferred to a burn unit at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.  The hospital had no information about his condition.  Firefighters earlier had called his injuries serious.

Susan Marie Ketcham, 47, is the victim's sister who was also living in the home.  Firefighters said Ketcham called 911 to report the fire that started next to some oxygen generating equipment in an upstairs bedroom.  Ketcham was also taken to U of I Hospitals, but later treated and released.

One neighbor said Potter was a disabled Vietnam War veteran who needs oxygen to cope with a serious medical condition.  While fire officials said the fire started next to some oxygen equipment, it's unclear if the cause was a mechanical problem or human error.  Fire officials said there were working smoke alarms in the three upstairs bedrooms.

Thick smoke greeted firefighters who entered the upstairs to search for Potter.  He was found in one of the bedrooms.

Neighbors said Ketcham also apparently has health issues.  Richard Wright, who lives across the street, she he was concerned about her welfare as he saw emergency responders arrive.

“She was handicapped, she had some impairments that made it hard for her to walk.  When the fire department came and we smelled smoke, we were concerned for here.  We could get out of a house easier, she couldn't,” Wright said.

Family members gathered at the Dalewood Avenue home on Wednesday did not want to talk about what happened.  The bedroom where the victim was found sustained fire, heat and smoke damage.  There was extensive smoke and heat damage to other parts of the second floor as well.