Space heater blamed for deadly Mo. fire

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. -- Investigators are blaming a space heater for a house fire that killed a St. Louis County man. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported the victim was identified Wednesday as 51-year-old Wardie R. Neely Jr. Neely was taken from the single-family University City home Tuesday afternoon to a hospital, where he died a short time later. University City assistant fire chief David Crismon said living-room drapes were ignited by a space heater fueled by natural gas. Crismon said the heater had been placed too close to the drapes. Crews brought the fire under control within about 20 minutes.